Bihar and Jharkhand have taken a major step towards resolving a long-running water dispute, signing an agreement on sharing the waters of the Sone river in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The agreement is being described as a permanent resolution to a dispute that has remained unresolved for nearly 25 years. The pact was signed on Monday in the presence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, Bihar’s deputy chief minister, the Union home secretary and senior officials from the Centre and both states. The agreement assumes significance for both states as the Sone river and the Bansagar project have long been linked to questions over water availability for irrigation and drinking purposes.