New Delhi, April 9 : India had pipe water connection in only around 16 percent households in 2014, which has gone up to over 38 percent after the Narendra Modi government took over, BJP Spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said on Saturday. Addressing a press conference on the Jal Jeevan Mission of government as a part of the social justice fortnight being celebrated by the government, Trivedi said, “India has 4 percent of world’s drinkable water. We use 40 percent of world’s ground water…. If we do not pay attention to water conservation it can be a big problem.” “In 2014, 16.75 percent houses had piped water supply. In two years, the number grew to over 38 percent. By 7 April 2022, 9.4 crore houses have been linked with piped water supply. We have added around 6.15 lakh houses in last two years,” said Trivedi. He said there are 107 districts, 1.5 lakh villages where every household has water connection, and 17 lakh 29 thousand schools and Anganwadi has also been linked through Nal Se Jal He also said government has major plans for developing irrigation, and mentioned the Ken Betwa link. he said it will provide irrigation to 9.08 lakh hectare land and 62 lakh people will get water supply. He said five other river link plans have also been made which are in its last phases. These are – Saman Ganga – Pijal, Par Tapi – Narmada, Godavari – Krishna, and Krishna – Pennar – Kaveri. BJP MPs and leaders have been asked to go to their constituencies between April 6-14, and discuss the social security programs of the government at booth and mandal levels. The social justice fortnight started on April 6,the foundation day of BJP, and will conclude on April 14, the birth anniversary of Bhimrao Ambedkar. AO SHK1930