Parliament Question: – National Clean Air Programme – EQ

In Short : The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019, aims to reduce PM2.5 and PM10 levels by 20-30% by 2024 (baseline: 2017). Targeting 131 non-attainment cities, it focuses on city-specific action plans, stricter pollution controls, and enhanced monitoring. NCAP promotes collaboration among governments and stakeholders to improve air quality and safeguard public health.

In Detail : National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019 with an aim to improve air quality in 130 cities (non-attainment cities and Million Plus Cities in 24 States/UTs through implementation of National, State and City level clean air action plans. NCAP envisages reduction in PM10 level up to 40% or achievement of national standards (60 microgram/cubic meter) by 2025-26.

In addition to this, NCAP emphasises on implementation of City Action Plans (CAPs) through the convergence of resources from various Central Government schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), AMRUT, Smart City Mission, SATAT, and Nagar Van Yojana, as well as resources from State Govts./ UT administration and agencies like Municipal Corporations and Urban Development authorities.

Under the Programme, Rs.16,539 Cr. has been allocated for the period 2019-20 till 2025-26, and Rs. 9595.66 Cr has been released so far to 48 Million Plus Cities & Urban Agglomerations under XVth Finance Commission Million Plus City Challenge Fund (MPCCF) as a performance linked incentives for implementing air quality measures under city action plans.

As per the annual performance assessment carried out for 2023-24, 97 cities out of 130 cities have shown improvement in air quality in terms of PM10 concentrations in FY 2023-24 as compared to 2017-18. 55 cities have achieved reduction of 20% and above in PM10 levels in 2023-24 with respect to the levels of 2017-18. Further, 18 cities conform to national ambient air quality standards in terms of Particular Matter concentrations during FY 2023-24.

Details of air quality improvement of 130 cities are enclosed at Annexure-I.

Annexure I

* Cities are funded under XVth Finance Commission air quality grant (Million Plus City Challenge Fund)

** PM10 levels in the FY 2017-18 for Faridabad and Srinagar are not available. PM10 levels of FY 2020-21 for Faridabad and PM10 levels of FY 2018-19 for Srinagar have been considered as a baseline.

Note: Patancheru non-attainment city has been merged with Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration and accordingly revised number of cities covered under NCAP is 130.

This information was given by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.