Rs 1.22 crore unfruitful as water purifiers purchased without water tanks in Haryana: CAG

The procurement of 4,000 electric ultraviolet water purifiers (EUWPs) for Haryana’s play schools without ensuring basic supporting infrastructure has rendered Rs 1.22 crore of public expenditure unfruitful , according to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report tabled in the state Assembly.

The compliance audit found that the Women and Child Development Department (WCD) procured the units despite the absence of water tanks, electricity connections and essential fittings at many upgraded anganwadi centres. The initiative was announced in the 2020-21 state Budget to convert 4,000 anganwadi centres into play schools and provide safe drinking water to pre-school children .

In October 2021, the WCD placed an order with an Odisha-based firm to supply 4,000 EUWPs at Rs 4,871 per unit, with a one-year replacement guarantee . Supplies were completed by January 2022, and payments of Rs 1.95 crore were released by March 2023. However, as of November 2024, only 1,489 purifiers were operational , while 2,511 units remained uninstalled due to lack of water and electricity infrastructure, leading to the expiry of the guarantee period .

The audit noted that coordination with the Public Health Engineering Department and the Panchayati Raj Department to arrange water tanks and electric motors began only in early 2024. Despite meetings and cost estimates, proposals remained under consideration till November 2024. Field reports submitted in August 2025 revealed that 559 play schools still lacked water tanks , while 465 had no electricity connections , with several centres also missing proper water fittings.

The CAG observed that the delay not only caused avoidable financial loss but also defeated the objective of providing potable water to children. It warned that the prolonged storage of uninstalled units raised concerns about possible degradation in equipment condition . The report recommended fixing responsibility on concerned officials and ensuring time-bound installation of the remaining EUWPs .