In a significant move to improve child and maternal welfare infrastructure, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) department in Rajasthan has launched a major project to ensure drinking water access at thousands of anganwadi centres across the state.
State-Wide Initiative with Strict Deadline
The department has issued clear instructions to all its officials, directing them to ensure the development of drinking water facilities in a total of 9,519 anganwadi centres within a defined timeframe. According to an official order released on Wednesday, all work related to this project must be conclusively completed by May 31, 2026.
This directive underscores the state's commitment to enhancing basic amenities at these crucial grassroots institutions, which serve as hubs for nutrition, pre-school education, and health services for children and mothers.
District-Wise Breakdown and Financial Sanction
The project will see a varied distribution of efforts across Rajasthan's districts. The districts with the maximum number of anganwadi centres slated for this upgrade include:
- Barmer: 838 centres
- Bharatpur: 642 centres
- Jodhpur: 625 centres
- Banswara: 475 centres
- Chittorgarh: 390 centres
For the execution of this work, a uniform budget of Rs 17,000 per anganwadi centre has been sanctioned. The core component of the project involves the installation of 500-litre water tanks at each of the identified locations.
Overall, the state administration has granted both administrative and financial approval for the project, with the total outlay amounting to Rs 16.18 crore.
Quality Control and Committee Oversight
To maintain transparency and ensure the quality of the work on the ground, the ICDS department has established a robust monitoring mechanism. A three-member committee will be constituted in every district to supervise the project.
This committee will notably include one technical member, such as an engineer, to provide expert oversight. A key financial control measure has also been put in place: payments to contractors or agencies will be released only after a physical verification of the completed work by the concerned authorities.
The official order also addresses potential delays. It states that if the work is not finished within the stipulated time for any reason, and the allocated funds remain unutilized, the reasons for the delay along with a factual report must be formally clarified to the directorate. Only upon receiving this explanation will the directorate be able to re-allocate the financial limit for withdrawing the amount, ensuring accountability and proper fund management.
This large-scale initiative is expected to directly impact the health and hygiene standards at anganwadi centres, providing a reliable source of safe drinking water for lakhs of children and women who depend on these services daily.
