City Specific Clean Air Action Plans have been prepared for 130 cities under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) mainly to target air pollution sources like soil & road dust, vehicular emissions, waste burning, construction & demolition activities and greening activities. 

State Action Plans prepared under NCAP address industrial pollution through framing polices for use of approved fuels by industries, promotion of clean technologies, laydown city gas distribution network to promote use of cleaner fuels, switching conventional fuels to cleaner fuels (gaseous fuels (CNG/ PNG/ CBG) by industries/ commercial units, etc. 

Actions towards control of industrial pollution are primarily implemented by industries, while monitoring and enforcement of industrial emission and discharge norms are carried out by the CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) through the Consent mechanism under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and necessary action is taken to ensure compliance with the provisions of the said Acts. 

As per reports submitted by Urban Local bodies (ULBs), 11,108 industries located in NCAP Cities have transitioned to cleaner fuels such as natural gas, PNG/LNG, LPG, biogas, etc. 

Under NCAP, air quality performance linked grant of ₹ 16,423.55 crore has been provided to 130 cities during FY 2019-20 till 2025-26 through XVth Finance Commission (XV FC) Million-Plus Cities Challenge Fund (MPCCF) (in case of 48 Million-Plus cities) and the Central Sector Scheme (CSS) ‘Control of Pollution’ (CP) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (in case of 82 Non-Attainment cities). So far, cities have reported the utilization of Rs.11,575.54 crore (70.5%) on PRANA portal. District/ City level Implementation and Monitoring Committee under the Chairmanship of District Collector/ Municipal Commissioner periodically monitors the implementation of City clean air action plans under NCAP. 

Further, State level Steering Committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary and Air Quality Monitoring Committee under the Chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary, Environment Department periodically review and monitor the progress of implementation of city action plans and State Action Plans under NCAP. 

The focused actions under NCAP have yielded positive results. During 2025-26, 108 cities recorded reductions in annual PM10 concentrations compared to 2017-18, with 72 cities achieving reductions of more than 20% and 26 cities achieving reductions of more than 40%. Further, 14 cities met the National Ambient Air Quality Standards in FY 2025-26, compared to six cities in 2017-18. 

Further, during CY 2025, 73 cities recorded reductions in annual PM2.5 concentrations compared to CY 2024, with 17 cities achieving reductions of more than 20%.

This information was provided by MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

*****

VM/GS/SK

(Rajya Sabha US Q1345)

 

(रिलीज़ आईडी: 2291891) आगंतुक पटल : 133