Centre Extends Deadline For Ravi-Beas Water Tribunal Report By Another Year

The Centre has extended the deadline for the Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal to submit its report by another year, pushing the new date to August 5, 2026, amid continued delays in resolving issues related to the Punjab water settlement.

According to a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the government cited the "exigencies of the work involved", as flagged by the tribunal, for the extension. The tribunal, constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, is tasked with adjudicating matters related to the distribution of Ravi and Beas river waters between Punjab and its neighbouring states.

The tribunal was originally formed on April 2, 1986, and submitted its initial report to the central government on January 30, 1987.

However, further references and clarifications were sought by the Centre later that year, prompting an ongoing review process that has now spanned nearly four decades.