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Key Points

India's NCAP program has helped 103 cities reduce PM10 pollution levels, with 64 achieving over 20% improvement. The government allocated Rs 13,036 crore to support clean air initiatives across urban centers. Monitoring now covers 572 cities through 1,612 stations tracking air quality. The program integrates multiple schemes like Swachh Bharat and Smart Cities for comprehensive pollution control.

Key Points: 103 Indian Cities Cut PM10 Levels Under NCAP Clean Air Program

  • 64 cities saw PM10 drop over 20% under NCAP
  • 22 cities met national air quality standards
  • Rs 13,036 crore allocated for urban air quality measures
  • 1,612 monitoring stations track pollution in 572 cities
2 min read

103 Indian cities reduced PM10 concentration in 2024-25: Govt

Govt reports 103 cities reduced PM10 pollution under NCAP, with 64 achieving over 20% drop and 22 meeting national air quality standards.

"64 cities showed reduction in PM10 levels by more than 20% and 25 achieved over 40% improvement – Kirti Vardhan Singh"

New Delhi, Aug 4

A total of 103 Indian cities, as part of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), have shown a reduction in particulate matter PM10 concentration in 2024-25, the government informed the Parliament on Monday.

Launched in 2019 to tackle air pollution across India, NCAP focusses on 131 "non-attainment" cities and Million Plus Cities in 24 states. The programme aimed to reduce PM10 concentrations by 20-30 per cent by 2024.

Of the 103, “64 cities showed reduction in PM10 levels by more than 20 per cent and 25 of these cities have achieved a reduction of more than 40 per cent,” said Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

“A total of 22 Cities also met the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and have PM10 concentrations less than 60 micrograms per cubic metre of air,” he added.

To address air pollution in urban areas, Singh stated that a “performance-linked grant of Rs 13,036.52 crore has been provided to 130 cities during 2019-20 till date, as a critical gap funding to implement air quality improvement measures”.

Further, the programme leverages the mobilisation of resources through the convergence of various schemes of the central government such as Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), AMRUT, Smart City Mission, PM e-Bus Sewa, Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT), and Nagar Van Yojana, as well as the resources of state governments.

“Under NCAP, an amount of Rs. 5,318 crore has been provided to eight States/UTs that are part of the Indo-Gangetic plain to implement the city action plan of 41 targeted cities,” Singh said.

City-specific clean air action plans are prepared by all cities to implement air quality improvement measures in their respective cities. These plans target air pollution sources such as soil and road dust, vehicular emissions, waste burning, construction and demolition activities, and industrial pollution.

Notably, ambient air quality monitoring is carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB).

For this, “1,612 monitoring stations have been set up in 572 cities and four rural areas across the country,” the MoS said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While the progress is commendable, I wonder how much of this is temporary due to lockdown effects? We need sustained efforts and stricter enforcement against industrial polluters. The data should be made more transparent for public verification.
R
Rohit P
Finally some good news about our environment! The convergence of different schemes like Swachh Bharat and Smart City Mission shows holistic thinking. But what about smaller towns? They need attention too. #CleanAirForAll
S
Sarah B
As an expat living in Mumbai, I've noticed slight improvements in air quality. The electric buses and increased green cover are visible changes. However, construction dust remains a major issue that needs addressing. Good first steps though!
V
Vikram M
₹13,000+ crore spent but only 22 cities meeting NAAQS standards? That's less than 17% success rate. We need better accountability in how funds are utilized. Corruption in municipal bodies is eating up the money meant for public welfare.
K
Kavya N
The monitoring network expansion to 1,612 stations is impressive! Data-driven policies can make real difference. My suggestion - involve local communities more in implementation. We citizens must take ownership too, not just blame authorities. 👏

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