PIB, September 8, 2024: Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav chaired the 4th meeting of the Apex Committee of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) on the occasion of Swachh Vayu Diwas (International Day of Clean Air for Blue Sky) in Jaipur on 7th September, 2024. He reviewed the implementation of national, state, and city clean air action plans implemented in 24 states/UTs and 131 cities. State Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Rajasthan, Shri Sanjay Sharma was also present in the meeting.
It was informed that under this Programme, a performance-based grant of Rs. 19,612 crore has been allocated to 131 cities for implementation of city action plans from 2019-20 to 2025-26. So far, Rs. 11,211 crore was provided to these cities to achieve the targets of 40% reduction or achieving National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in PM10 levels by 2025-26. Air quality improvement activities undertaken in 131 cities in sectors of road dust, vehicular pollution, waste management, greening of urban spaces, and industrial pollution were presented in the meeting.
Union Minister Sh. Bhupender Yadav highlighted the creation of 3776 hectares of Nagar Van/Vatikas under the Nagar Van Yojana of MoEFCC in 64 cities of the NCAP with a sanctioned amount of Rs. 142 crore and urged remaining cities to avail resources under the scheme to develop green spaces in their cities. He congratulated nine better-performing cities under Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan for utilizing resources from central and state government. schemes/programmes and scientifically addressing the air pollution reduction measures.
Sh. Yadav appreciated the efforts made by all stakeholders under the programme for improving air quality in 95 cities and 18 cities meeting National Ambient Air Quality Standards in PM10 levels in 2023-24. He informed us that 51 cities have achieved a 20% reduction and 21 cities have already achieved a 40% reduction in PM10 levels.
The Union Minister commended the extensive tree plantation drives conducted in 131 cities under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, a global campaign launched by the Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi. He provided guidance to all states/UTs for convergence of the central and state governments. schemes and programmes and highlighted the importance of these schemes to address air pollution. He also highlighted the recent initiative to set up a coordinating mechanism to address transboundary movement of air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) region, comprising eight states and UTs.
Sh. Bhupender Yadav urged all cities for the update of clean action plans on a 100% saturation basis and Mission LIFE actions and called for the implementation of proposed reforms in areas of waste management, especially solid waste, plastic waste, C&D waste, e-waste, vehicular pollution, and public awareness to provide better clean air to all.
During the meeting, several union ministries have also presented progress and convergence of schemes implemented in 131 cities.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs highlighted activities undertaken in 131 cities under its programmes viz., the National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, AMRUT, Smart City Mission, and PM e-bus Sewa related to urban mobility, processing of solid waste and Construction & Demolition (C&D), remediation of legacy waste, mechanical road sweeping, creation of parks and green spaces, and procurement of electric buses.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gases presented the status of the city gas distribution network and its plans for expansion of CNG stations and PNG connections to provide clean fuel and initiatives under the SATAT Scheme to generate CNG from biomass to reduce air pollution.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways highlighted the implementation of a vehicle scrapping policy targeting the phase-out of vehicles and the creation of automated testing stations and vehicle scrapping facilities.
The Ministry of Power briefed the status of the use of biomass in thermal power plants, thereby reducing biomass burning.
Municipal Commissioners of the best performing cities under Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan, namely Surat, Firozabad, and Raebareli, presented their strategies and success stories in dealing with air pollution.
The meeting was attended by Sh. Sudhansh Pant, Chief Secretary of Rajasthan, Sh. Tanmay Kumar, Chairman of CPCB, Senior Officers of MoEFCC and CAQM, Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Special Secretaries/Secretaries of Environment, Government of Rajasthan, Officers of Urban Development, and Chairman & Member Secretary of State Pollution Control Board/Pollution Control Committees of 24 States/UTs.
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