This report addresses concerns regarding air pollution in India, referencing the World Air Quality Report 2024 and its limitations related to data sources (reliance on low-cost sensors), potential data uncertainties, and urban-centric data bias in country rankings. While acknowledging air pollution as a contributing factor to respiratory ailments, the report emphasizes that health is influenced by various factors beyond environmental conditions.
Financial allocations and expenditures related to air pollution mitigation are detailed. As of the report date, approximately Rs. 620.6 Crores has accrued in the NGT EC account, with Rs. 80.82 Crores utilized and Rs. 138.38 Crores committed to sanctioned projects. A balance of Rs. 401.4 Crores exists, with Rs. 284.18 Crores held in sub judice accounts and Rs. 117.22 Crores currently available for utilization, though utilization is currently halted due to an NGT order. Regarding the Environmental Protection Charge (EPC) on diesel vehicles, Rs. 527.91 Crore has accrued, with Rs. 173 crores disbursed and Rs. 222.83 Crores allocated for projects. Of the remaining Rs. 132.08 Crores, Rs. 54 Crores is earmarked as performance grants, leaving Rs. 78.08 crores available.
The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019, targets 130 non-attainment cities exceeding National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). City-specific action plans address sources like road dust, vehicles, and industrial emissions. Source Apportionment (SA) studies indicate that road and construction dust contribute significantly to PM10 levels. Measures include road improvements, traffic decongestion, and greening initiatives. BSVI emission norms have been implemented for fuels, and schemes promote electric mobility. Guidelines address biomass burning through financial assistance for pelletisation and torrefaction plants. CAQM has issued directions for co-firing biomass in thermal power plants. Performance-based grants are provided to urban local bodies for implementing city action plans. A total of Rs. 13036.52 Crores has been released to 130 non-attainment cities under NCAP, with Rs. 9209.44 Crores utilized by Urban Local Bodies.
This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 24 JUL 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
National Green Tribunal NGT: A statutory body in India responsible for adjudicating environmental disputes and ensuring environmental protection.
Supreme Court of India: The highest judicial body in India.
DelhiNCR: National Capital Region of Delhi, a metropolitan area in India which encompasses Delhi and several surrounding districts from neighboring states.
National Clean Air Programme NCAP: A national level strategy in India launched in 2019 to reduce air pollution levels across the country.
Central Pollution Control Board CPCB: A statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in India.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards NAAQS: National standards for ambient air quality in India.
Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981: An Act of the Parliament of India to control and prevent air pollution.
Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas CAQM: A commission responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Parliament Question: - Air Pollution
Posted On: 24 JUL 2025 5:11PM by PIB Delhi
A report titled “World Air Quality Report 2024” by a Swiss-based technology company IQAir was published
on March, 2024. The report includes Country/region ranking for 2024 based on the average PM2.5
concentration.
As per report, 38% of data sources are from government agencies and rest 62% data 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 (low-cost sensors) may have a
degree of error/uncertainty. Further, the population weighted averages used for country ranking in the report is
calculated based on urban - centric data generated from monitoring stations.
In view of the above limitations and uncertainties in the data, ranking of cities and countries may not portray
true picture and could be misleading.
There is no conclusive data available to establish a direct correlation of death exclusively by air pollution. Air
pollution is one of the many factors affecting respiratory ailments and associated diseases. Health is impacted
by a number of factors which include food habits, occupational habits, socio-economic status, medical history,
immunity, heredity etc. of the individuals apart from the environment.
Environmental Compensation (EC) funds are collected in compliance with the directives issued by the
Hon’ble National Green Tribunal (NGT).
As of now, a total of Rs. 620.6 Crores has been accrued in the NGT EC account, including bank interest of
Rs. 99.51 Crores. Out of this Rs. 80.82 Crores has been utilized, while Rs. 138.38 Crores has been committed
towards 24 sanctioned projects and ongoing activities. The remaining balance is Rs. 401.4 Crores and out of
this Rs. 284.18 Crores is held in sub judice accounts i.e. Rs. 184.18 Crores maintained in 23 Specific-Purpose
Accounts and Rs. 100 Crores in Fixed Deposit (FD) as per Hon’ble NGT direction. Presently Rs. 117.22
Crores is available for utilization. The utilization of NGT EC funds has been stopped after the Hon’ble NGT
order dated 21.01.2025 in the matter of OA No. 638/2023.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the matter of 13029 of 1985, M.C. Mehta Vs UOI issued directions
and imposed 1% Environmental Protection Charge (EPC) on diesel vehicles with engine capacity of 2000 cc
and above which will be registered in Delhi-NCR as given in Hon’ble Supreme Court Order dated 12 Aug
2016.
Total Rs. 527.91 Crore has accrued in the EPC fund account as on 18.06.2025, out of which Rs. 173 crores
have been disbursed as on 04.07.2025, and Rs. 222.83 Crores is allocated for sanctioned projects and
activities. Out of the remaining funds of Rs. 132.08 Crores, Rs. 54 Crores have been earmarked as
performance grants for FY 2025-26 under CPCB guidelines for providing gap funding support to 19 no. of
NCR cities, leaving Rs. 78.08 crores balance available for utilization.
Government has launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019 as a national level strategy to
reduce air pollution levels across the country. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has identified 130
million plus/non-attainment cities (cities exceeding National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS),
consecutively for five years). City Specific Clean Air Action Plans have been prepared and rolled out for
implementation in all these 130 non-attainment/million plus cities to improve the air quality.
These city specific clean air action plans target city specific air polluting sources like Soil & Road Dust,
Vehicles, Domestic Fuel, MSW Burning, Construction Material and Industries with short-term priority action
as well as those to be implemented in a medium to longer time frame along with the concerned agencies.Source Apportionment (SA) studies conducted in cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
reveal that dust from road and construction & demolition activities are major sources of PM10 with almost
40-50% contribution in most of the cities. Accordingly, cities have prioritized road improvement works,
traffic decongestion, junction improvements, and greening of open spaces under the city action plans of
NCAP.
The program adopts comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach to combat air pollution. It targets major
pollution sources such as industries, vehicular emissions, open burning of waste, road dust, Construction &
Demolition (C&D) activities.
Actions towards control of industrial pollution are primarily implemented by industries and monitoring &
enforcement of industrial emission norms are carried out by the State Pollution Control Boards through
Consent mechanism under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention
and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. To address vehicular pollution, Govt. has notified BS-VI emission norms
for fuels in leapfrogging from BS-IV. Further, Central Govt. has launched schemes such as PM E-DRIVE and
PM- eBus Sewa to promote electric mobility.
In order to control the biomass burning in the agriculture fields, CPCB has framed guidelines for providing
one-time financial assistance for setting up of paddy straw based pelletisation and Torrefaction plants which
may help in addressing the supply chain issues and the issue of open burning of paddy straw in agriculture
fields in Northern Region. 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 kms of Delhi, and, in captive power plants of industrial units located in NCR.
Further, performance based grants are being released to urban local bodies of 130 non-attainment
cities/Million Plus Cities under NCAP through Central Sector Scheme ‘Control of Pollution’ and 15th
Finance Commission (XVFC) air quality grants for implementation of the activities of approved city action
plans.
Under NCAP, a total of Rs. 13036.52 Crores have been released to 130 million plus & non-attainment cities
from FY 2019-20 to till date (20.07.2025) for implementing various activities to control air pollution out of
which Rs. 9209.44 Crores have been utilized by Urban Local Bodies.
This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST
AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH, in a written reply to a question in Rajya
Sabha today.
***
VM/GS
(Release ID: 2147803)