Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel,  Dharmendra Pradhan has said that the execution of piped water projects to provide equitable, affordable and safe drinking water to all will also increase the demand for domestic steel, generate employment and strengthen the Make in India campaign, besides contributing to the larger vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.<br />'' <br />''Mr. Pradhan said that more than 1 lakh household in the country are being supplied with drinking water everyday under the Jal Jeevan Mission which targets to supply drinking water to every household by 2024.<br />'' <br />''AIR correspondent reports, the Union Minister said that in Odisha, chronic water scarcity has become a challenge to meet the demand for drinking water as well as for irrigation.<br />'' <br />''Citing relevant data from the department of drinking water and sanitation, Mr Pradhan said that around the end of 2019, only less than 4 per cent of the total 81 lakh 25 thousand rural households in the state were getting piped water supply.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Under the Jal Jeevan Mission,  Odisha has been sanctioned an amount of Rs. 812 crore for the current fiscal as against Rs. 297 crore the year before.  This will strengthen water security in the state, the Minister added.</span><br />