Jaishankar assures Bihar concerns will be considered in Ganga treaty renewal

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has written to Janata Dal (U) MP Sanjay Jha, assuring that Bihar's concerns will be taken into account during the renewal of the 1996 India-Bangladesh Ganga treaty. The letter comes after Jha raised concerns that the existing agreement had adversely affected the state.

The treaty, which governs water-sharing arrangements for the Ganga river, is scheduled to lapse on December 31. Jha had earlier complained to the government about the treaty's impact on Bihar's water availability and agricultural interests.

The minister's response indicates the government's willingness to address state-level concerns during the renegotiation process with Bangladesh.