Himanta Biswa Sarma writes | Led by PM, HM, thorny inter-state disputes are giving way to dialogue, progress

In just 25 years as head of a government — from serving as Gujarat's Chief Minister to being India's Prime Minister for over a decade — Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently held an unwavering belief. He firmly states, “India cannot progress without all its states advancing together. States and the Center must collaborate to establish a model of cooperative federalism, resolve differences, and chart a common course towards progress and prosperity.”

This vision, first articulated by the Prime Minister during his tenure as Gujarat's Chief Minister, has been diligently pursued by him as the nation's Prime Minister. Recently, the Union Home Ministry has formalized a series of memoranda of understanding (MoU) that have resolved numerous longstanding inter-state disputes across India.

These include the tripartite MoU signed between the Centre, Assam, and Nagaland on June 11, the revival of the Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project between Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi after an eight-year deadlock, the operationalization of the Upper Yamuna Basin agreement between Rajasthan and Haryana after a 32-year wait, a one-time settlement of long-pending Narmada Award dues among Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and the recent pact ending a 25-year dispute over the Sone River between Bihar and Jharkhand.

Furthermore, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have agreed to finally resolve their pending division of assets and liabilities. These agreements, impacting around 15 states, represent a significant step forward in rejuvenating India's federal structure.