103 cities report lower pollution under mission

New Delhi: The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in January 2019, is slowly beginning to show the impact it promised—a coordinated national push to clean the air in 130 of India’s most polluted cities. What began as an ambitious initiative by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is now evolving into a multi-layered effort driven by central and state governments, local bodies, and citizens.

Officials tracking the mission say the focus is finally shifting from broad assurances to source-specific action. “For the first time, cities are not just identifying pollution sources but are being held accountable through targeted action plans,” a senior MoEF&CC official said. “Air quality improvement is no longer optional.”

Of the 130 cities, 48 Million-Plus Cities receive funding under the XV Finance Commission’s Challenge Fund, while the remaining 82 are supported under the Ministry’s Control of Pollution Scheme. Each city has prepared its own Clean Air Action Plan (CAP), outlining measures to curb emissions from road dust, waste burning, transport, construction, and industry. Annual Action Plans ensure that the work is divided into achievable steps and aligned with available resources.

A member of a state-level monitoring committee said the biggest shift has been coordination. “Earlier, agencies were working in silos. NCAP forced everyone—from municipal corporations to transport departments—to sit together and prioritise interventions,” he said.

The programme also integrates Mission LiFE to encourage citizens to adopt environment-friendly habits. Committees at national, state, and city levels monitor progress, evaluate reports, and guide implementation. To avoid dependency on a single funding stream, NCAP promotes convergence with major schemes including Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), AMRUT, Smart City Mission, SATAT, PM e-Bus Sewa, and Nagar Van Yojana.

To push cities harder, an annual air quality performance assessment determines which cities qualify for incentive grants. While 82 cities must show annual reduction in PM10 levels, the 48 Million-Plus Cities must additionally increase the number of “good air days.” From the next financial year, a new Air Quality Challenge Method will make funding stricter for the 82 cities—requiring them to meet pre-qualifications, adopt reform measures, and demonstrate performance.

The PRANA portal, a centralised dashboard, tracks both physical and financial progress in real time. In the past year, cities were directed to prepare saturation-based action plans addressing major pollution sources. Guidance documents on dust-free roads and micro-forest development have also been circulated to help standardise best practices.

Public participation is being driven through initiatives like Swachh Vayu Survekshan, which ranks all 130 cities annually on their air quality initiatives. “Competition is working. Cities want to climb the rankings,” said an official from a participating urban local body. Ward-level rankings and awareness programmes, particularly through ‘Meri Yuva Bharat,’ have brought youth into the fold.

The results, according to the ministry, are encouraging. Data from 2024–25 shows that 103 cities have recorded a reduction in PM10 levels compared to 2017–18. Of these, 64 cities achieved a reduction of more than 20 percent, and 25 cities crossed the 40 percent mark. A total of 22 cities now meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

“These numbers show that when cities stay committed and consistent, air quality can improve,” a senior official noted. “But the challenge is sustaining momentum—pollution doesn’t disappear with one good year.”

As winter haze settles over the capital and much of northern India, the success of NCAP will continue to be measured not just in reports and rankings, but in whether citizens can breathe a little easier each year.