New Delhi | As Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday became India's longest continuously serving prime minister and completed 12 years in office, a government document released to mark the occasion said nearly 16 crore rural households now have tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission, taking safe drinking water coverage to over 81 per cent.
Launched on August 15, 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide tap water to every rural household in the country.
At the time of its launch, only 3.23 crore rural households, or 16.71 per cent of the total, had access to tap water connections. Since then, over 12.5 crore additional households have been connected, taking the total coverage to nearly 16 crore households.
Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil congratulated Modi and called the milestone a testament to public trust and dedicated national service.
In a post on X, Patil said Modi has completed 4,399 days in office in an uninterrupted journey devoted to serving the nation.
"As a leader who transformed public aspirations into resolutions and resolutions into achievements, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has given a new momentum and new direction to India's development journey," he said.
"Inspired by the spirit of Antyodaya, Modi's efforts to ensure that the benefits of development reach the last person in society, promote India's cultural consciousness globally and build a self-reliant and developed India have become an important chapter in the country's progress, Patil said.
He said Modi's achievement of becoming India's longest continuously serving elected prime minister symbolises the strength of democracy, the steadfastness of public trust and the collective resolve for a brighter future.
"This journey of dedication to service, good governance and national interest continues unabated," Patil added.
Modi first assumed office on May 26, 2014. He completed an uninterrupted tenure of 4,399 days on Wednesday, surpassing the record of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who served continuously for 4,398 days.
