GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
RAJYA SABHA
UN-STARRED QUESTION N0. 2260
TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.12.2019
Steps to reduce air pollution
2260. DR. SANTANU SEN:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) the details of projects/steps taken up in last five years to reduce air pollution in the
country;
(b) the details of projects/steps taken, especially in the tier 1 and tier 2 cities which are
most polluted;
(c) the budget allocated to ensure reduction in air pollution in last five years, year-wise
and project-wise; and
(d) the budget spent to ensure reduction in air pollution in last five years, year-wise and
project-wise?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO):
(a) to (d) The Government has taken several steps to combat air pollution in the country, which
inter alia, includes the following:
Notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards
Revision of emission standards for industrial sectors from time to time
Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality
Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG etc.)
Launching of National Air Quality index
Leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards
Notification of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules
Notifications of 6 waste management rules covering solid waste, plastic waste, e-
waste, bio-medical waste, C&D waste and hazardous wastes issued in 2016.
Streamlining the issuance of Pollution Under Control Certificate
Issuance of directions under Section 18(1)(b) of Air (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act, 1981 and under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
for controlling air pollution
Installation of on-line continuous (24x7) monitoring devices by major industries
Notification of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi and NCR
Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) for air pollution control in Delhi and NCR
Organization of clean air campaigns, etc.
Further, Central Pollution Control Board along with State Pollution Control Boards and
Pollution Control Committees are monitoring ambient air quality at 793 locations covering
344 cities/towns in 28 States and 7 Union Territories across the country under National Air
Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP-manual). State-wise details of funds released to
various Monitoring Agencies during last five years for ambient air quality monitoring as
operational and maintenance cost under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme
(NAMP) is given at Annexure-I.
The Central Government also launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a
long-term, time-bound, national level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the
country in a comprehensive manner with targets to achieve 20 % to 30 % reduction in PM10
and PM2.5 concentrations by 2024 keeping 2017 as the base year for the comparison of
concentration. Under NCAP, 102 non-attainment cities have been identified based on
ambient air quality data for the period 2011 – 2015 and WHO report 2014/2018. The city
specific Action Plans which inter- alia includes measures for strengthening the monitoring
network, reducing vehicular/industrial emissions, increasing public awareness etc. have been
prepared and approved for ground implementation for all 102 non-attainment cities. For the
cities with million plus population and PM10>90µg/m³, MoEF&CC has earmarked ₹10
Crores in the current year. For the cities with population, less than 5 lakhs, funds of ₹10
lakhs per city has been allocated and for cities with a population of 5 to10 lakhs, ₹20 lakhs
per city has been allocated.
Annexure-I
Sl Funds released under NAMP for operation & maintenance in
Name of Monitoring
No different financial years (Amount in Rs.)
Agency
. 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
1. Andhra Pradesh SPCB 7666250 - - 27555500 -
2. Arunachal Pradesh SPCB - - - 4109334 1472000
3. Assam SPCB 7842500 - - 35912000 17762667
4. Bihar SPCB - - - 2216665 -
5. Chandigarh PCC - - 4113833 3253333 1952000
6. Chattisgarh ECB - 1526250 - 4465333 -
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
7. PCC and Daman & Diu - - - 3492333 3461333
PCC
8. Gujarat SPCB - - - - -
9. Goa SPCB 7125000 7789333 - 24410667 -
Himachal Pradesh SEP &
10. - 10128333 - 29309334 13933334
PCB
11. Jammu & Kashmir SPCB - - - 4528000 1936000
12. Jharkhand SPCB - - - 14893167 -
13. Karnataka SPCB 354167 6749583 - 21134667 -
14. Kerala SPCB 6474167 - - 22320000 -
15. Madhya Pradesh SPCB - - 7984417 13566666 11577333
16. Maharashtra SPCB - - 16316919 30544001 11270667
17. Meghalaya SPCB - 7845833 - 14485333 3541333
18. Mizoram SPCB 1765000 5413333 4253333 7346667 4640000
19. Nagaland SPCB 906667 - 3658667 3061333 1344000
20. Odisha SPCB 5734583 - 5872500 17080001 -
21. Punjab SPCB 7795417 - - 20361083 4565333
22. Puducherry - - 5110333 3432000 2112000
23. Rajasthan SPCB - 4218750 - 13434667 -
24. Sikkim SPCB - - - 6149334 7578667
25. Tamil Nadu SPCB 2358333 - - 16813333 7549333
26. Telangana SPCB - - - 17985000 -
27. Tripura SPCB - - - 896000 597333
28. Uttar Pradesh SPCB - 7263333 - 31390667 -
29. Uttarakhand EP&PCB - 4085833 - 14544000 -
30. West Bengal SPCB - - 19439917 -
31. NEERI 7047000 13612000 22288000 21600000 14040000
32. IIT Kanpur 3709378 - - 8040177 1941920
Total 58778462 6,86,32,581 6,95,98,002 45,77,70,512 11,12,75,253
