
India rolls out targeted air pollution control plans for 130 major cities
The city-specific plans, part of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), will target air polluting sources like soil and road dust, vehicles, domestic fuel, municipal solid waste burning, construction material, and industries, the minister told Parliament.
Air pollution in India, especially in its big cities, is a major issue, and it is severely affecting public health and the overall quality of life. The government had launched the NCAP in 2019 to reduce air pollution.
Source Apportionment (SA) studies conducted in cities under the NCAP reveals that dust from road and construction and demolition activities are the major sources of PM10 that contributes 40-50% to the pollution in most cities. SA is defined as a local study that determines the contributing sources to ambient particulate matter (PM) measured at monitoring stations.
Under the NCAP, the cities have prioritized road improvement works, traffic decongestion, junction improvements, and greening of open spaces under the specific action plans, Singh said.
Around ₹ 13,036 crore has been released for the 130 cities under NCAP from the start of FY20 to 20 July, 2025 towards implementation of various activities to control air pollution. Of this amount, ₹ 9,209 crore has been utilized by urban local bodies.
Specific actions towards the control of industrial pollution are primarily being implemented by industries and the monitoring and enforcement of emission norms are being carried out by the state pollution control boards.
To address vehicular pollution, the government has notified BS-VI emission norms for fuels, leapfrogging from BS-IV. The central government has also launched schemes such as PM E-DRIVE and PM-eBus Sewa to promote electric mobility.
In order to control biomass burning in agricultural fields, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has framed guidelines to provide a one-time financial assistance for setting up of paddy straw-based pelletisation and torrefaction plants that may help address the supply chain issues and the issue of open burning of paddy straw in fields in north India.
The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and adjoining areas (CAQM) has also issued directions for co-firing of 5-10% biomass with coal in thermal power plants located within 300 km of Delhi, and in captive power plants of industrial units located in NCR.
Performance-based grants are also being released to urban local bodies of the earmarked 130 cities under NCAP through the Central Sector Scheme Control of Pollution and the 15th Finance Commission (XVFC) air quality grants for implementation of the activities of approved city action plans.
The minister also rejected a private entity report,'World Air Quality Report 2024', which had ranked India as world's fifth most-polluted country.
Singh said, as per report, 38% of data sources are from government agencies and the remaining 62% is from other agencies. The data used for analysis includes data generated through low-cost sensors (LCS), which is not used for regulatory purposes.
The data from a variety of monitors and data sources may have a degree of error and uncertainty and is, therefore, prone to be misleading, the minister told Parliament.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hans India
10 minutes ago
- Hans India
Farmers told to ensure bank accounts are active
Rajamahendravaram: Another major promise under the Super Six commitments of the Andhra Pradesh government has been fulfilled with the launch of the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme. The first instalment of financial support will be credited to the bank accounts of eligible farmers on Saturday, said Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Cinematography Kandula Durgesh. As part of the first phase, a sum of Rs 7,000 is being deposited into each eligible farmer's account. Of this, Rs 5,000 is contributed by the state government, while Rs 2,000 is from the Central government under the PM-Kisan Yojana, the minister clarified. The scheme is designed to provide a total benefit of 20,000 to each farmer in three instalments. Durgesh stated that following the Chief Minister's directive, inaugural events are being held at Rythu Seva Kendras (Farmers' Service Centres) across the state to mark the release of funds. Fulfilling this commitment to farmers reflects the government's dedication to public welfare and its ability to uphold the trust of the people, he added. Farmers were also advised to ensure their bank accounts are active. For those eligible farmers who may not have received the credited amount yet, the minister urged them not to panic. He advised them to contact the helpline number 155251 or the WhatsApp Governance number 9552300003 for assistance. They may also approach their local Rythu Seva Kendras for support.


Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
'No formal talks yet with US on F-35 buy': Government in Lok Sabha
NEW DELHI: India has not had any formal talks with the US over the purchase of fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, the external affairs ministry informed the Lok Sabha Friday. Responding to a written query, MoS (MEA) Kirti Vardhan Singh said the India-US joint statement following the meeting between PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in Feb 2025 had mentioned that US will undertake a review of its policy on selling fifth-generation fighters (such as the F-35) and undersea systems to India. "No formal discussions have been held as yet on this issue," added the minister. A news agency reported on Thursday that India had told the US that it is not interested in purchasing the F-35 jets. The minister was also asked whether the govt has reviewed the dynamics relating to US military assistance proposals and India's autonomy in terms of foreign policy, given its strategic implications, especially in a conflict scenario involving third-party mediation. The minister responded by saying that the India-US partnership has benefited from growing strategic convergence & cooperation and that India closely evaluates all its external partnerships, including those in the defence and strategic domains, through the prism of its national interest and commitment to strategic autonomy. "India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership is anchored in mutual trust, shared interests, goodwill and robust engagement between our citizens," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like San Ramon: How Much Does It Cost To Replace Old Windows? Beautiful Energy-Efficient Windows Learn More Undo As regards third-party mediation, the minister said that it has been India's longstanding position that any outstanding issue with Pakistan will be discussed only at a bilateral level. "This has been made clear to all nations, including by the PM to the US president," he said.


Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Khyati hospital CEO gets bail in alleged Ayushman card scam
Ahmedabad: A city sessions court on Friday granted bail to the Khyati Multispecialty Hospital CEO, Chirag Rajput, in connection with the alleged scam of issuing Ayushman cards to ineligible people to get the benefits of the govt's free healthcare scheme – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). This case was registered by the city crime branch last year when the alleged irregularities were revealed during the investigation into the death of two PMJAY beneficiaries following angioplasty procedures at the hospital. The involvement of the hospital's office-bearers was alleged. Rajput was arrested in this case in Jan along with other persons. Before the court, Rajput's advocate Ajj Murjani submitted that Rajput was granted regular bail by the Gujarat high court in the botched angioplasty case, and there is no scope for him fleeing. Moreover, co-accused in the Ayushman card scam were granted regular bail, and he sought the benefit of parity for Rajput. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad After the hearing, additional sessions judge H G Pandya ordered the release of Rajput on regular bail on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 15,000 and a surety of an equal amount. He got bail on several conditions, including marking presence before the police station concerned once a month for the next six months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Rakhi Gift for Coffee Lovers Philips Coffee Maker Undo The court considered nine different aspects in granting bail to Rajput and stated, "Considering the above aspect, coupled with the fact that the other co-accused were also released on regular bail, there are no compelling circumstances to keep the present applicant behind bars till the completion of the trial, as the alleged offence is triable by the court of learned magistrate."