**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 2357 raised in Lok Sabha regarding air pollution and its impact on public health, to be answered on February 13, 2026. The response, provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, addresses concerns about air pollution-related health issues, government measures to strengthen healthcare systems, and initiatives to improve air quality. While a National Clean Air Health Mission is not under consideration, efforts are being made to improve air quality through the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Air Pollution and Health**
* Air pollution is acknowledged as an aggravating factor for respiratory ailments but there is no conclusive data to establish a direct correlation of disease exclusively due to air pollution.
* Health effects of air pollution are a synergistic manifestation of factors including food habits, occupational habits, socioeconomic status, medical history, immunity, and heredity.
* **Strengthening Healthcare Systems**
* Public health is a state subject; the responsibility for strengthening public healthcare systems lies with State/UT governments.
* The Ministry provides technical and financial support through the National Health Mission (NHM) to States/UTs for strengthening their healthcare systems.
* Respiratory medicines are included in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) and provided through public health facilities.
* Medical oxygen infrastructure has been strengthened through PSA plants and oxygen cylinders and concentrators since COVID-19.
* The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission is implemented to augment capacities at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.
* **Inter-Ministerial Coordination**
* The Government of India has constituted a Steering Committee, co-chaired by Secretary of Health and Family Welfare and Secretary of Environment and Climate Change, with members from other ministries, for monitoring and coordination of environment and health issues.
* **National Clean Air Health Mission**
* No National Clean Air Health Mission is currently under consideration.
* **National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)**
* The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) launched NCAP in January 2019 to improve air quality in 130 non-attainment and Million-Plus Cities in 24 States/UTs.
* NCAP involves a comprehensive, integrated, and collaborative approach with coordinated efforts from central and state governments, urban local bodies, and other stakeholders.
* NCAP emphasizes source-specific mitigation measures through the implementation of city, state, and national-level Clean Air Action Plans (CAPs).
* All 24 States/UTs have prepared State Action Plans, and all 130 cities under NCAP have prepared a Clean Air Action Plan (CAP).
* These plans focus on sectoral interventions such as road dust control, solid waste management, vehicular emissions, construction and demolition activities, and industrial pollution.
**Impact Analysis**
**State/Union Territory Governments**
* **Impact:** Expected to strengthen their public healthcare systems to manage the increasing disease burden.
* **Action Required:** Submit proposals under their Program Implementation Plans to the Ministry for technical and financial support, subject to norms and availability of resources.
**Central Government (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)**
* **Impact:** Responsibility to provide technical and financial support to States/UTs for strengthening their healthcare systems.
* **Action Required:** Continue to provide financial and technical support to States/UTs under the National Health Mission (NHM).
**Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)**
* **Impact:** Leading the efforts to improve air quality in 130 non-attainment and Million-Plus Cities in 24 States/UTs through the NCAP.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and monitor the progress of the Clean Air Action Plans (CAPs) prepared by States/UTs and cities.
**Steering Committee Co-chaired by Secretary of Health and Family Welfare and Secretary of Environment and Climate Change**
* **Impact:** Overseeing environment and health issues.
* **Action Required:** Monitor and coordinate environment and health issues.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The central ministry responsible for health policies and programs, and the primary respondent to the parliamentary question.
National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): A program launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to improve air quality in 130 cities.
National Health Mission (NHM): A centrally sponsored scheme that provides technical and financial support to States/Union Territories for strengthening their healthcare systems.
National Clean Air Health Mission: A proposed mission, for early screening, treatment support and compensation for affected families, that is NOT under consideration in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
States/Union Territories: Locations where the public health responsibilities are addressed.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2357
TO BE ANSWERED ON13.02.2026
NATIONALCLEAN AIR HEALTH MISSION
2357.SHRIVIJAYAKUMARALIAS VIJAYVASANTH:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:-
(a) whether air pollution related morbidity and mortality have been officially classified as a
public health emergency despite reports of rising hospital admissions across States and if so,
the detailsthereofand if not,the reasons therefor;
(b) whether cases of asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) cardiovascular
diseases andcancersare attributable toairpollutionandif so, the detailsthereof;
(c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to strengthen District Hospitals
andPrimaryHealthCentres (PHCs) tomanage the increasing disease burden;
(d) the reasons for the failure to deploy mobile health clinics, provide free respiratory
medicines and ensure the availability of oxygen support in high-pollution areas, particularly
for children,the elderly andinformal sector workers;
(e) whether any inter-ministerial action plan has been initiated by the Government in
coordinationwith the Ministries of Environment, ForestandClimate Change,Road Transport
and Highways and Housing and Urban Affairs to mitigate health risks arising from vehicular
andconstruction-related pollutionandif so, the detailsthereof; and
(f) whether the Government proposes to launch a time-bound National Clean Air Health
Mission with dedicated funding for early screening, treatment support and compensation for
affected families or continue shifting responsibility across departments and if so, the details
thereofandif not,the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH & FAMILY
WELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a)& (b). Air pollution is one of the aggravating factors for respiratory ailments and
associated diseases, however, there are no conclusive data available to establish direct
correlation of disease exclusively due to air pollution. Health effects of air pollution are
synergistic manifestation of factors which include food habits, occupational habits,
socioeconomic status, medical history,immunity andheredityetc.of the individuals.
(c)& (d). Public Health is a State subject and the responsibility of strengthening public
healthcare system lies with the respective State/ Union Territory Governments. Under
National Health Mission (NHM), the Ministry provides technical and financial support to
States/ Union Territory for strengthening their healthcare systems based on the proposals
submitted by them in their Program Implementation Plans subject to norms and availabilityof resources. Respiratory medicines are included in the Government of India’s National List
of Essential Medicines (NLEM) and are provided through public health facilities. Medical
oxygen infrastructure has also been strengthened through PSA plants and supply of oxygen
cylindersandconcentratorssince COVID-19.
For long-term preparedness, the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health
Infrastructure Mission hasbeenimplementedtoaugmentcapacitiesat primary, secondary and
tertiary levels. Key components include establishing Integrated Public Health Labs, Block
Public Health Units, Critical Care Hospital Blocks, and expanding the Integrated Health
Information Portalacross allStates/UTs.
(e). The Government of India has constituted a Steering Committee, co-chaired by
Secretary of Health and Family Welfare and Secretary of Environment and Climate Change
with member from other ministries including Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Ministry
of Jal Shakti,Ministry of New andRenewable Energy,Department of HealthResearch Indian
Council of Medical Research. The committee is constituted for monitoring and overall
coordination onenvironmentandhealthissues.
(f). No such proposal for National Clean Health Mission is under consideration in the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. However, to improve air quality in 130 non-
attainment and Million-Plus Cities in 24 States/UTs, Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change (MoEF&CC) launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in January,
2019 through a comprehensive, integrated and collaborative approach involving the
coordinated efforts of the Central and State Governments, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and
otherstakeholders.
It emphasizes source-specific mitigation measures through the implementation of city,
state, and national-levelCleanAir Action Plans.State Action Planshave been preparedbyall
24 States/UTs. Also, all 130 cities under the NCAP have prepared a Clean Air Action Plan
(CAP). These plans focus on sectoral interventions such as road dust control, solid waste
management, vehicular emissions, construction and demolition activities and industrial
pollution.
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