National Clean Air Programme & Challenges

The Indian government initiated the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019 with the goal of reducing atmospheric Particulate Matter (PM) concentration by 20-30% by 2024, based on 2017 levels. However, this target was subsequently revised to a more ambitious goal of 40% reduction by 2026.

1: Dimension- Implementation Issues of NCAP

• Under the programme, cities continuously violating annual PM levels in India need to prepare and implement annual Clean Air Action Plans (CAAPs).
• Inconsistency: Tough most cities proactively submitted their CAAPs, their implementation has been inconsistent.
• Implementation issue: On average, only 60% of the allocated funds have been used thus far, with 27% of cities spending less than 30% of their designated budgets.
• Delayed approvals: Implementation delays hinder NCAP’s success, particularly delays in approvals from the competent authorities.
• Lack of SOP: Furthermore, there is lack of standard operating procedures for the implementation process.
• Other issues:
  • Absence of well-defined timelines create further delays
  • Bureaucratic red-tape and lingering doubts regarding the effectiveness of proposed mitigation measures

2: Dimension- Required Measures

• There is need of swift implementation on the ground and focus on reducing bureaucratic red tape by utilising shared, standardised technical evaluations.
• Prior budgeting and time management play crucial roles as NCAP funding is linked with the performance of cities (based on the annual average PM concentration reduction).
• Technical feasibility, budgeting, and time estimates need to be part of the initial plans.