NEW DELHI: The MCD has utilised only 30% of the Rs 42.69 crore allocated by the Central government for improving air quality in the capital over the past four financial years, Parliament was informed on Monday.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, in a written response to a Lok Sabha query, revealed that between 2019-20 and 2024-25, Rs 42.69 crore was released under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to implement Delhi’s City Action Plan for air quality improvement. However, only Rs 13.56 crore (32%) of the funds has been spent.
The funds were routed through the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and handed over to the MCD. The NCAP aims to address air pollution in non-attainment cities (NACs)—those that failed to meet national ambient air quality standards. Delhi NCR has six such cities, namely Delhi, Alwar, Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, and Faridabad. Of these, Delhi, Alwar, and Noida are funded under the NCAP, while Ghaziabad, Meerut, and Faridabad receive support under the 15th Finance Commission.
The minister disclosed that during the same period, Rs 476.04 crore was allocated to all six NCR cities, with 70% ( Rs 334.53 crore) of the funds utilised. Funding for NACs is performance-linked, based on annual assessments conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Cities scoring below 40 are ineligible for further grants.
Since December 2021, the CPCB has conducted 18,976 inspections across Delhi NCR to monitor compliance with pollution control norms. These inspections, carried out by 40 teams, targeted air-polluting industries, construction sites, and diesel generator operations.
On stubble burning, a significant contributor to Delhi’s seasonal air pollution, Yadav highlighted the Centre’s efforts under the 2018 crop residue management scheme. This programme, managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, subsidises crop residue management machinery for in-situ management of paddy straw. Between 2018 and November 2024, Rs 3,623.45 crore was released to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi under the scheme.
Punjab received the largest share ( Rs 1,681.45 crore), followed by Haryana ( Rs 1,081.71 crore) and Uttar Pradesh ( Rs 763.67 crore). Delhi’s allocation was comparatively minimal, at Rs 6.05 crore.