The Ranjit Sagar Dam, also known as the Thein Dam, is part of a hydroelectric project constructed by the Punjab Irrigation Department on the Ravi River on the border of Union Territory, Jammu and Kashmir and state Punjab. It is located upstream of the Madhopur Barrage at Madhopur.^[3] A large portion, up to 60%, of the reservoir falls within Jammu and Kashmir. The dam is around and equidistant 30 km from both Pathankot in the state of Punjab and Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir. The project is used for both irrigation and power generation. The project is the largest hydroelectric dam in Punjab with a capacity of 600 megawatts. Also, the dam is amongst the highest earth-fill dams in India and has the largest diameter penstock pipes in the country. The township where the site is located is called Shah pur Kandi Township. Feasibility studies for the project began in 1953 and geotechnical studies continued until 1980. Construction began in 1981, the generators were commissioned in 2000 and the project complete in March 2001.^[4]

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Ranjit Sagar Dam
Location of Ranjit Sagar Dam in Punjab Show map of Punjab Ranjit Sagar Dam (India) Show map of India
Country	India
Location	Basholi & Pathankot
Coordinates	32°26′33″N 75°43′43″E
Status	Operational
Construction began	1981
Opening date	2001
Owner(s)	Water Resources(Irrigation) Department,Government of Punjab,India
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Embankment, earth-fill
Impounds	Ravi River
Height	160 m (525 ft)
Length	617 m (2,024 ft)
Elevation at crest	540 m (1,772 ft)
Width (crest)	14 m (46 ft)
Width (base)	669.2 m (2,196 ft)
Dam volume	21,920,000 m3 (28,670,278 cu yd)[1]
Spillway type	Controlled-chute
Spillway capacity	24,637 m3/s (870,047 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Total capacity	3,280,000,000 m3 (2,659,139 acre⋅ft)
Active capacity	2,344,000,000 m3 (1,900,312 acre⋅ft)
Normal elevation	527.9 m (1,732 ft)
Power Station
Commission date	2000[2]
Hydraulic head	121.9 m (400 ft) (max)[3]
Turbines	4 x 150 MW Francis-type
Installed capacity	600 MW

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There have been several issues and claims between the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and of Punjab over the usage of water, electricity, employment, compensation to the locals and land acquisition. On 12 May 2017 Government of Jammu and Kashmir raised these issues in the Northern Zonal Council Meeting held in Chandigarh; following which the Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI mandated the construction of barrages that will allow both states equal rights over the dam. The proposed barrages will help Jammu and Kashmir irrigate Samba and Kathua districts. The Government of Punjab had also agreed to share electricity produced through the project but previous claims of Jammu and Kashmir remained unsettled and a resolution is pending. In 2017, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir claimed 8000 crores from fhs Government of Punjab as losses.