PATNA, Feb. 26 -- A small but significant step towards unlocking irrigation potential in Bihar has hit a temporary speed bump, as Jharkhand has sought additional clarity on certain clauses in the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for sharing Sone river water from the Indrapuri reservoir project. Bihar water resources department (WRD) officials confirmed they received a communication from the Centre flagging Jharkhand's reservations over specific wording in the MoU, which the Bihar cabinet had cleared only last month. Principal secretary, WRD, Santosh Kumar Mall, however, played down the development, saying the essence of the pact would remain untouched. "Jharkhand government has sought a bit more clarification regarding the contents with regard to whether the sharing of water is being done on the scientific basis or on the basis of the Bansagar agreement. It's a minor issue, and will be sorted out soon," Mall told HT. The two states had reached a broad understanding on water sharing during a regional council meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah in Ranchi. On January 17 this year, the Bihar cabinet formally approved the proposal to sign the MoU with its neighbour. The Centre had circulated the draft agreement to both governments; Bihar made only cosmetic changes and gave its nod, while Jharkhand asked for a closer look at a few provisions. A senior WRD officer described the matter as "nominal in nature", adding that any revised draft would simply need fresh cabinet approval in Patna - a formality that should not delay the process for long. The breakthrough that made this MoU possible came on July 10 last year at the 27th Eastern Regional Conference, chaired by Amit Shah in Ranchi. Bihar deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary and WRD minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary presented the state's case forcefully, breaking a deadlock that had lingered for nearly a quarter century. The dispute originated in the 1973 tripartite Bansagar Agreement among Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and undivided Bihar, which allocated 7.75 million acre feet (MAF) of Sone water to Bihar. After Jharkhand was carved out in 2000, the new state demanded its rightful share and refused to clear the Indrapuri project until the matter was settled. That logjam ended at the Ranchi conference: of the original 7.75 MAF, Bihar will now get 5.75 MAF and Jharkhand 2.0 MAF. With the Central Water Commission (CWC) having already approved the draft agreement, the Indrapuri reservoir will, once the MoU is signed, dramatically strengthen irrigation in eight Bihar districts - Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas, Kaimur, Aurangabad, Patna, Gaya and Arwal - bringing much-needed relief to thousands of farmers who have waited decades for reliable water. Officials in both capitals are confident the remaining clarifications will be ironed out....