Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Saturday announced that an all-party meeting on the Mahanadi water dispute will be held on January 23, 2026 as part of efforts to resolve the long-standing disagreement with Chhattisgarh over water sharing.
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said the meeting is being convened to discuss the next steps in negotiations.
“The tribunal for the Mahanadi water dispute was constituted on March 12, 2018, but over the past seven years, only one witness has been examined. Its tenure is ending on March 13 this year, and the tribunal has been functioning without a chairman for the past nine months,” Singh Deo said.
He added that the tribunal has requested the Central Government to extend its tenure. “If the tenure is extended by nine months, it will facilitate negotiations with the Chhattisgarh government and help move the issue forward,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister noted that the Advocate General was present at today’s meeting and briefed members on the developments so far. He stated that a separate meeting will also be held with groups that had previously protested over the dispute.
“Following these meetings, the Odisha government will request the Chhattisgarh government to hold discussions on January 31 and February 1. A delegation from Odisha will visit Chhattisgarh for talks ahead of the next tribunal hearing, scheduled for February 7, 2026,” Singh Deo added.
The state government said the all-party meeting aims to consolidate opinions, address the concerns of stakeholders, and strengthen Odisha’s case in ongoing negotiations and tribunal proceedings.
