New Delhi, June 20, 2025 — Despite alarming air quality levels plaguing India’s major cities, several urban centres — including the national capital Delhi — have grossly underutilised funds allocated under the Centre’s flagship National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), a recent report by PTI has revealed.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched the NCAP in January 2019 to systematically tackle deteriorating air quality in 131 non-attainment and million-plus cities across 24 states and union territories. The programme initially targeted a 20-30% reduction in particulate matter (PM10) levels by 2024-25 compared to the baseline year of 2017-18. The target was later revised upward to a 40% reduction by 2025-26 or to bring pollution levels within the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (60 µg/m³).
However, despite these ambitious goals, the pace of fund utilisation paints a worrying picture. According to the report, Delhi — frequently ranked among the world’s most polluted cities — spent only Rs 13.94 crore, which is just 32.65% of the Rs 42.69 crore allocated to it under the NCAP.
The situation is not unique to the capital. Data accessed by PTI and corroborated by official figures show a pattern of gross underutilisation across multiple states and cities. Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), for instance, has utilised only 48.85% of its funds, while Pathankot (Punjab) and Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) have spent just 37.1% and 37.7% respectively. Other poorly performing cities include Davanagere (Karnataka) at 43.6%, Nagaon (Assam) at 48.5%, Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) at 41.09%, and Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) at 44.24%.
In addition, recent data shows other major cities also lag significantly behind. For instance:
- Jalandhar (Punjab) received Rs 45.44 crore but spent only Rs 17.65 crore.
- Noida (Uttar Pradesh) received Rs 30.89 crore but spent a mere Rs 3.44 crore.
- Gulbarga (Karnataka) utilised just Rs 8.98 crore out of Rs 23.48 crore.
- Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) spent Rs 39.42 crore out of Rs 129.25 crore.
- Faridabad (Haryana) used only Rs 28.6 crore out of Rs 107.14 crore allocated.
Overall, out of the total Rs 12,636 crore allocated to 130 cities under the NCAP since its inception, only Rs 8,981 crore — about 71% — had been spent as of May 27, 2025.
Experts Warn of Missed Targets
Environmental experts and activists have expressed grave concern over the slow pace of expenditure and implementation, warning that underutilisation directly undermines the mission to achieve tangible air quality improvements.
“Air pollution is a public health emergency, yet fund utilisation is so dismal that it raises serious questions about administrative efficiency and political will,” said an air quality researcher at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
Several reports in recent years have shown that poor inter-agency coordination, procedural delays, and lack of capacity at the local municipal level have hampered timely execution of pollution abatement projects, including installation of air quality monitoring systems, mechanised road cleaning, retrofitting industries, and greening initiatives.
A Widening Credibility Gap
The gap between funds sanctioned and funds spent has sparked concerns about the credibility of India’s fight against urban air pollution, which annually claims thousands of lives due to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.
Urban residents, particularly in cities like Delhi, have repeatedly called for urgent interventions, especially during peak pollution months when toxic air blankets entire regions, leading to school closures and health advisories.
While the NCAP has provided a critical framework for city-specific action plans, the latest spending figures highlight a pressing need for accountability, streamlined fund disbursal, and strict monitoring of implementation timelines.
Looking Ahead
Officials from the environment ministry have said that new guidelines and progress tracking mechanisms are being developed to ensure that cities fast-track project implementation and avoid surrendering unspent funds at the end of the fiscal year.
With the revised targets pushing for up to a 40% reduction in PM10 levels by 2025-26, environmentalists stress that every lost year risks India’s ability to meet its national air quality goals and protect public health.