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Is India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) achieving its objectives? A new assessment by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) raises concerns, presenting a comprehensive agenda for reform to ensure the programme meets its goals effectively.
It highlighted that the programme has a disproportionate focus on dust control and neglects key combustion sources and transport sector.
The NCAP, launched by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in January 2019, was India’s first national initiative to set clean air targets for 131 polluted cities. It aims to reduce particulate pollution by up to 40 per cent by 2025-26 from the base year of 2019-20.
However, the CSE report, titled National Clean Air Programme: An agenda for reform, reveals that 64 per cent of the funds under NCAP and the 15th Finance Commission have been spent on road dust mitigation. In contrast, significantly less funding has been allocated to control emissions from industries, vehicles, and biomass burning—key combustion sources contributing to air pollution.
Also, shockingly, some of the most polluted cities reported the highest unutilised NCAP funds. As on May 3, 2024, Anantapur (today Ananthapuramu), Delhi, Angul, Kolhapur, Gulbarga (Kalaburagi) and Noida had utilised less than 40 per cent of the funds. Rishikesh, Ujjain, Guwahati and Korba are among cities to have utilised over 70 per cent of the funds.
As much as 64 per cent of the funds utilised under NCAP and the 15th Finance Commission have been spent on road dust mitigation, she pointed out. "Much less has gone towards controlling emissions from combustion sources --- with industrial pollution getting 0.61 per cent, vehicular pollution 12.63 per cent, and biomass burning 14.51 per cent. A balanced approach to funding is critical for effective impact," Narain highlighted.
A lot of money has flowed in to fund the clean air action plans in Indian cities. Under the overall programme, 49 cities with million-plus populations have received money from the 15th Finance Commission; the remaining 82 cities have been funded directly by NCAP.
Funds released to 131 cities: Rs 10,566 crore
Amount utilised overall: Rs 6,806.15 crore (64 per cent of the released funds), as of May 3, 2024
64 per cent of the overall utilisation has been in road dust mitigation
Funds released for 82 NCAP cities is significantly lower than that given to the 49 15th Finance Commission cities. Utilisation of funds follows the same trend.
82 NCAP cities: Rs 1,616.47 crore released; Rs 831.42 crore (51 per cent) utilised
49 cities under 15th FC grant: Rs 8,951 crore released; Rs 5,974.73 crore (67 per cent) utilised
A significant issue identified in the CSE report is the focus on PM10 levels as the benchmark for assessing air quality improvement. This has diverted attention from the more harmful PM2.5 emissions, which are predominantly emitted from combustion sources.
"Cities are judged based on different metrics. There are serious questions about these metrics being used to benchmark progress and its implications for real improvement," said Anumita Roychowdhury, CSE’s executive-director.
PM2.5 is a more relevant health indicator for assessing air quality improvement, the experts stressed.
Furthermore, the CSE assessment shows a mismatch between the systems used to assess city performance. Cities ranked high for improving PM10 levels under NCAP often rank poorly under Swachh Bharat Survekshan (SVS) for policy measures, and vice versa. For example, cities like Delhi and Ghaziabad performed well under SVS but poorly under NCAP for reducing PM10 levels.
The current focus on dust control has led to the neglect of key combustion sources, including transport and industry. Industrial pollution control remains largely business-as-usual, with minimal reporting on significant measures like stack emissions inspection or clean fuel transitions. Similarly, strategies for on-road emission management and public transport improvement are not well-developed, with limited implementation and reporting.
The CSE report called for a more robust focus on PM2.5 improvement, emphasising the need for detailed action plans for industrial and vehicular pollution control, including stricter enforcement of emission standards and promotion of clean technologies.
Transparency in reporting action and progress is another critical issue. Currently, detailed information on the level and quality of action taken by cities is not publicly available. The report suggests the need for a more transparent and comprehensive reporting system to understand the effectiveness of implemented solutions.
Additionally, the CSE advocates for a regional approach to air quality management. Cities cannot meet clean air benchmarks alone and require coordination with neighbouring regions to address transboundary pollution. The report suggests leveraging State Action Plans to minimise the influence of upwind pollution sources.
The NCAP requires a long-term policy visibility and funding strategy for sustained and scalable action. The current funding system under the 15th Finance Commission will end in 2025-26, necessitating a more structured approach to mobilise resources for clean air action until 2030.
The authors of the report recommended applying the polluters-pay principle, designing taxes and cess, and exploring innovative financing options like green municipal bonds to create dedicated funds for targeted actions.
The CSE report underscored the urgent need for reforms in the NCAP to ensure it achieves its objectives effectively. By shifting the focus to PM2.5, improving transparency in reporting, adopting a regional approach, and establishing a long-term funding strategy, India can significantly enhance its efforts to combat air pollution and protect public health.