Under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), Delhi achieved only a 16% reduction in PM10 levels, falling short of the 22% target, while neighboring cities like Noida and Alwar performed better. One-fifth of the 130 non-attainment cities showed zero reduction in pollution levels since 2017. The Environment Ministry's report submitted to the National Green Tribunal states that 103 cities have seen some improvement.
The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Environment to tackle severe air pollution, has delivered positive outcomes in over 100 cities, but a closer look at the data reveals concerning details. Delhi reduced PM10 levels from 241 micrograms per cubic meter in 2017-18 to 203 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024-25, a 16% drop against a 22% target, trailing behind Noida (35% reduction exceeding its 30% target) and Alwar (31% drop surpassing its 20% goal). In Uttar Pradesh, Khurja achieved only an 18% reduction against a 44% interim target.
The data was part of a submission by the Union Environment Ministry on Monday in response to the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) query on NCAP targets and the post-expiry roadmap. It states that 103 of the 130 non-attainment cities showed some reduction compared to 2017-18 levels, with 25 achieving the ambitious 40% target. Overall, 18 cities met the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM10, keeping annual averages below 60 micrograms per cubic meter. However, 27 cities recorded no reduction, concentrated in Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam.
Uttar Pradesh cities led the top performers: Bareilly with a 77% slash (far exceeding its 26% target), followed by Firozabad (60%), Moradabad (57%), Raebareli (46%), and Jhansi (45%). Others include Dehradun (57%) and Tuticorin (54%). The worst performers were Nalgonda in Telangana (52% shortfall from target), Jalgaon in Maharashtra (49% miss), and Odisha's industrial cluster: Angul (-20% reduction), Rourkela (-12%), and Balasore (-11%). Gorakhpur and Punjab's Dera Bassi lagged with 45% and 37% gaps, respectively.
PM10 reductions focused on emissions from road dust, vehicles, construction, open waste burning, and industries. The Centre released Rs 13,784 crore to 130 cities, including 82 non-attainment ones. The Ministry maintained, “…the focused and coordinated actions undertaken by the 130 cities under NCAP have yielded positive outcomes.”
