The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019, aims to improve air quality in 130 non-attainment cities and Million Plus Cities across 24 States/UTs. This multi-sectoral initiative involves coordinated efforts from central and state governments, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and other stakeholders. It emphasizes source-specific mitigation measures through clean air action plans at the city, state, and national levels.
The program leverages resources from various central government schemes, including Swachh Bharat Mission Urban, AMRUT, Smart City Mission, SATAT, and Nagar Van Yojana, supplemented by resources from State Governments, UT Administrations, Municipal Corporations, and Urban Development Authorities. A performance-based incentive grant is provided to cities under NCAP to address critical funding gaps. 48 Million-Plus Cities/Urban Agglomerations are funded under the XV Finance Commission Million-Plus City Challenge Fund, while the remaining 82 cities are funded under the Control of Pollution Scheme of MoEFCC.
A performance-linked grant of Rs. 13,036.52 crore has been provided to the 130 cities for critical gap funding to implement air quality improvement measures. As of July 18, 2025, Rs. 9209.44 crore (71%) has been utilized by the cities. Between April and July 18, 2025, Rs. 1825.39 crore was released for cities with prepared action plans.
MoEFCC revised the guidelines for fund release and utilization on August 25, 2022, and May 14, 2025, for the 82 cities funded under the Control of Pollution Scheme. CPCB and SPCBs are mandated to release funds according to MoEFCC guidelines. For the 48 Million-Plus cities, funds are released according to the Department of Expenditure's (DoE) operational guidelines issued on August 10, 2021, regarding Urban Local Body grants related to ambient air quality under the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XVFC).
Committees at the National (Apex, Steering, Monitoring and Implementation), State (Steering and Monitoring), and City (Monitoring and Implementation) levels have been established to coordinate, monitor, evaluate progress, and guide the implementation of city action plans, including fund utilization.
The revised guidelines issued by MoEFCC on May 14, 2025, stipulate that funds for the 82 cities are to be used for five key activities: road improvement for dust control (end-to-end pavement, mechanical sweeping), greening of traffic corridors, and improvement of traffic junctions for decongestion. The Central Pollution Control Board reviews the annual action plans prepared by the cities to ensure alignment with the guidelines.
The PRANA Portal (Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment cities) monitors the implementation of NCAP, tracking physical and financial progress. MoEFCC, in letters dated June 9, 2025, urged Chief Secretaries of 24 States/UTs to review program implementation regarding air quality improvement and fund utilization.
As per MoEFCC notification dated July 11, 2025, coal and lignite-based thermal power plants must meet Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) emission standards according to prescribed timelines. The Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Boards enforce and monitor compliance with these emission norms. State-level Steering and Monitoring Committees oversee the implementation of action plans addressing industrial pollution, including that from thermal power plants, under NCAP.
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 July 24, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
National Clean Air Programme: A programme (NCAP) launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019 to improve air quality in 130 cities.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The Indian government ministry responsible for the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
Central Pollution Control Board: An organization responsible for verifying the annual action plans prepared by cities and monitoring compliance to emission norms.
Swachh Bharat Mission Urban: A Central Government scheme leveraged for resource mobilization under the National Clean Air Programme.
AMRUT: A Central Government scheme leveraged for resource mobilization under the National Clean Air Programme.
Fifteenth Finance Commission: Commission whose Million Plus City Challenge Fund provides air quality performance grants to 48 cities under NCAP.
Rajya Sabha: Council of States, the upper house of the Parliament of India, where the information regarding NCAP was provided.
Control of Pollution Scheme: Scheme of MoEFCC under which 82 cities are funded under NCAP
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Parliament Question:- National Clean Air Programme
Posted On: 24 JUL 2025 4:00PM by PIB Delhi
National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(MoEF&CC) in January 2019 aims to improve air quality in 130 cities (non-attainment cities and Million Plus
Cities) in 24 States/UTs. NCAP is multi-sectoral initiative involving the coordinated efforts of the Central and
State Governments, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and other stakeholders. It emphasizes source-specific
mitigation measures through city, state, and national-level clean air action plans.
The programme leverages the mobilization of resources through various Central Government schemes—such
as Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), AMRUT, Smart City Mission, SATAT, and Nagar Van
Yojana—including resources from State Governments, UT Administrations, Municipal Corporations, and
Urban Development Authorities to implement City Action Plans (CAPs). Performance based incentive grant
is provided under NCAP to cities for funding the critical gap.
th
Out of 130 cities, 48 Million-Plus Cities/ Urban Agglomerations are funded under XV Finance Commission
Million-Plus City Challenge Fund as an air quality performance grant, and remaining 82 cities are funded
under Control of Pollution Scheme of MoEFCC. Performance linked grant of Rs. 13,036.52 crore has been
provided to 130 cities as critical gap funding to implement air quality improvement measures. An amount of
Rs. 9209.44 crore (71%) has been utilized by 130 cities so far to implement air quality implement measures.
Out of the total released amount of Rs. 13,036.52 crore, the amount of Rs.1825.39 crore has been released
th
during the period April -July, 2025 (till 18 July) for which action plans have been prepared by the cities.
th
MoEFCC has revised the guidelines for release and utilization of funds vide letter dated 25 August, 2022
th
and 14 May, 2025 for 82 cities funded under Control of Pollution Scheme. CPCB and SPCBs have been
mandated to release the funds to cities in accordance with the guidelines and instructions issued by MoEFCC.
In case of 48 Million-Plus Population cities, funds are released inline with DoE operational guidelines
‘Operational Guidelines for implementation of the recommendations on Urban Local body grants [Ambient
Air Quality component] of Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV-FC)’ issued on 10.08.2021.
Committees at National Level (Apex, Steering, Monitoring and Implementation), State level (Steering and
Monitoring) and City level Monitoring and Implementation Committee have been constituted to coordinate,
monitor, evaluate the progress and provide guidance for implementation of city action plans including
utilization of funds.
th
MoEFCC has revised the guidelines vide letter dated 14 May, 2025, and has communicated that funds
provided to 82 cities is to be utilized in 5 key activities including road improvement works for dust control
such as end-to-end pavement of roads, mechanical road sweeping, greening of traffic corridors, improvement
of traffic junctions for decongestion, etc.
Annual Action plans prepared by cities are reviewed by Central Pollution Control Board to verify that the
activities taken up by cities are inline with the guidelines.
“PRANA” – Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment cities, has been developed as a portal
for monitoring implementation of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to track physical as well as
financial progress of cities under NCAP.
MoEFCC, vide letters dated 9.6.2025, has written to Chief Secretaries of 24 States/UTs to review the
implementation of programme in respective States in regard to improvement of air quality as well as utlisation
of funds provided under NCAP.As per MoEFCC notification dated 11.07.2025, coal and lignite-based thermal power plants are required to
meet the emission standards for Sulphur Dioxide (SO ) as per the prescribed timelines. Enforcement and
2
monitoring of compliance to the emission norms is carried out by Central Pollution Control Board and State
Pollution Control Boards. Under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), State level Steering and Monitoring
Committees monitor the implementation of action plans pertaining industrial pollution, which includes
pollution from thermal power plants.
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: 2147751)