National Clean Air Programme

Published on 05 Apr 2025

It is the country's first attempt to develop a national framework for air quality control with a time-bound reduction target.

Features of National Clean Air Programme

• Set a target of reducing Air pollutants: It seeks to cut the concentration of coarse (PM10 or less) and fine particles (PM2.5 or less), Central Government has set a new target of a 40% reduction in PM concentration, by 2026. 

• Coverage to non-attainment cities: It covers 132 non-attainment cities which were identified by the Central Pollution Control Board.

• Awareness and Capacity building initiatives: An intense effort for capacity building, education, and awareness, with a focus on increasing the number of employees and facilities owned by SPCBs and CPCB.

• City specific action plans: Creating action plans tailored to each city, which include steps to improve the surveillance system, cut down on emissions from industry and vehicles, and raise public awareness.

• Certification agencies: Establishment of certification agencies for monitoring equipment, source apportionment studies, emphasis on enforcement, targeted sectoral initiatives, etc.

• Collaborative, multi-scale and cross-sectoral coordination: Assisting state governments, local government entities, and relevant central ministries in cooperative, multi-scale, and cross-sectoral coordination.

Challenges of National Clean Air Programme

• Poor performance: According to the CSE's nationwide review of PM2.5 levels in cities for which data is available, only 14 out of 43 (NCAP) cities saw a decrease in PM2.5 levels of 10% or greater between 2019 and 2021.

• Rural-urban area compartmentalization: The plan separates urban and rural air pollution by concentrating on reducing pollution in cities while neglecting that in rural areas.

• No carrying capacity studies: There are 132 non-attainment cities, and none of them have finished their carrying capacity studies.

• Funding issue: The CPCB solely considers levels of PM10, or the comparatively larger particles, when allocating funds. But not many cities have as strict of a monitoring program for PM2.5, the smaller, more harmful particles.

• Lack of Awareness: The success of clean air projects might be hampered by a lack of public awareness and participation.

Way Forward

• Making NCAP legally binding: It is critical to make NCAP legally binding on responsible authorities while setting intermediate (WHO interim targets) and long-term aims to reach breathing air equivalent.

• Improving transparency in fund allocation: Improving transparency in the distribution and use of funds, as well as tracking indicators using publicly available information from the CPCB's PRANA web portal, could be a step forward.  

• Conduct Public Awareness campaign: Run public awareness programs to inform people about the impacts of air pollution. Promote local participation in projects like managing waste, planting trees, and environmentally friendly transportation.

• Strengthening monitoring systems: Make investments in satellite technology, reliable air quality monitoring systems, and real-time data collection.

Tags:
Environment

Keywords:
Pollution Air pollution NCAP PM 2.5 PM 10

Syllabus:
General Studies Paper 3

Topics:
Environment and Climate Change