National Clean Air Programme: Impact on PM2.5 Levels

📌 Summary:

• The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019, covers 130 cities and is a multi-sectoral initiative with city, state and national clean-air action plans
• ₹16,423.56 crore in air-quality performance-based incentive grants has been released to targeted cities under NCAP from FY2019-20 to FY2025-26
• 108 cities recorded reductions in annual PM10 in 2025-26 vs 2017-18; 72 cities achieved >20% and 26 cities >40% reductions; 14 cities met NAAQS (≤60 µg/m³) in FY2025-26, up from 6 in 2017-18
• 65 of 130 cities met the PM2.5 NAAQS (≤40 µg/m³) in 2025-26; PM2.5 levels in Pune/Hyderabad/Surat/Delhi/Mumbai were 41/34/32/102/33 µg/m³
• The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) was set up under the CAQM Act, 2021 for Delhi-NCR, with powers to direct agencies
• NAAQS are notified for 12 pollutants (including PM10 and PM2.5); the Air Quality Index (AQI) was launched in 2015

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 Environment — air pollution mitigation, NCAP, CAQM and ambient air-quality governance.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• NCAP launched 2019, covering 130 cities; grant of ₹16,423.56 crore released (FY2019-20 to 2025-26)
• CAQM established under the CAQM Act, 2021 for Delhi-NCR; AQI launched in 2015
• NAAQS cover 12 pollutants; PM2.5 standard ≤40 µg/m³, PM10/annual NAAQS ≤60 µg/m³

🔑 Key Term: NAAQS — National Ambient Air Quality Standards, notified by the CPCB, prescribing permissible ambient concentrations of key pollutants.