The Bhakra Nangal multipurpose project on the Sutlej River is a joint venture of which group of Indian states?

Introduction / Context:
The Bhakra Nangal project is one of India's most famous multipurpose river valley schemes, built on the Sutlej River. It provides irrigation, hydroelectric power, and flood control. Many general knowledge questions focus on the interstate character of such projects, asking which states are partners in the venture. Knowing the beneficiary states for Bhakra Nangal reflects understanding of how river waters are shared across the northwestern plains of India.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The project in question is the Bhakra Nangal multipurpose project on the Sutlej.
• The options list different combinations of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh.
• We assume that the term joint venture refers to the main partner states receiving water and power as per standard exam references.
• We focus on conventional descriptions used in school and competitive exam books.

Concept / Approach:
Bhakra Nangal includes the Bhakra Dam and Nangal barrage and is often described as a joint venture of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. While the dam itself is located on the border of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, the distribution of water and power has been historically shared between the plains states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Examination oriented material usually highlights these three states as joint beneficiaries, which is why that combination is treated as the correct option.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Bhakra Nangal project is built on the Sutlej River and is one of India's largest multipurpose schemes.Step 2: Remember that the irrigation and power benefits from this project were planned to serve the needs of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.Step 3: Note that many exam guides and textbooks describe the project as a joint venture of these three states.Step 4: Compare this standard description with the options, which offer different subsets of these states.Step 5: Select "Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan only" as the combination that matches the usual description of the joint venture.

Verification / Alternative check:
Lists of major river valley projects in exam preparation books typically contain a column for "beneficiary states" or "joint venture states". For Bhakra Nangal, the entries repeatedly mention Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Although Himachal Pradesh is the site of part of the dam structure, it is not normally included in this particular exam style listing of joint venture states. This consistent pattern supports choosing Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Punjab and Haryana only: This option omits Rajasthan, which clearly benefits from canal systems fed by Bhakra waters.
Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh: While Himachal Pradesh is involved geographically, the standard exam phrase "joint venture of" refers to the main beneficiary plains states, not this four state combination.
Punjab and Himachal Pradesh only: This ignores Haryana and Rajasthan, both of which are important beneficiaries of the project.

Common Pitfalls:
One common error is to focus only on the physical location of the dam and choose a pair such as Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, forgetting the broader sharing arrangement. Another mistake is to reason that more states must always be better and choose all four. To avoid these issues, learners should memorise the classic exam formulation that Bhakra Nangal is a joint venture of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, corresponding to the options given here.

Final Answer:
The Bhakra Nangal multipurpose project on the Sutlej River is a joint venture of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan only.