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Nodal Ministry/Statutory Regulators- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) (UPSC/RAS/PSI)

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  • Nodal Ministry/Statutory Regulators- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)     

Macro Framework, Ambient Monitoring & Digital Architecture

  1. Swachh Vayu Diwas Alignment- India observes September 7 as Swachh Vayu Diwas, aligning national clean-air priorities with the UN General Assembly’s International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies designated in 2019.
  2. National Air Quality Monitoring Network (NAMP)- Expanded the ambient air-quality network to 1,646 monitoring stations across 603 cities in 28 States and 7 UTs as of March 2026, combining periodic manual stations and automated Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Systems (CAAQMS).
  3. Industrial Source Surveillance (OCEMS)- Mandated Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems for 17 highly polluting industrial categories, medium/large red-category units, food processing, and metal units in Delhi-NCR, streaming real-time telemetry to CPCB servers.
  4. Standardized Air Quality Index (AQI)- Communicates composite air health through six categories (Good to Severe) derived from eight key pollutants (PM10  ,PM2.5, NO2 ,SO2 ,CO, O3 ,NH3 , and Pb anchored by the worst-performing pollutant.
  5. Digital Transparency Platforms- Deployed the SAMEER app for near real-time AQI tracking across 292+ cities, paired with the PRANA (Portal for Regulation of Air-Pollution in Non-Attainment cities) portal for tracking the physical and financial progress of city action plans.

 National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) & Performance Tracking

  1. Mission-Mode Architecture- Launched in 2019 across 130 non-attainment and million-plus cities, executing source-specific clean-air action plans across 24 States/UTs with multi-tier central, state, and district committees.
  2. Financial Outlay & Utilization- Disbursed ₹16,423.55 crore in performance-linked grants to 130 cities from FY 2019–20 to FY 2025–26, with municipal bodies utilizing ₹11,575.54 crore (70.5% utilization efficiency).
  3. PM10 Concentration Reductions- By FY 2025–26, 108 cities recorded lower annual  PM10 levels than 2017–18 baselines; 72 cities reduced levels by >20%, 26 cities achieved reductions >40%, and 14 cities met National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
  4. City Champions (Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2025)- Ranked best-performing urban centers across population tiers Indore topped Category 1 (>10 lakh), Amravati led Category 2 (3–10 lakh), and Dewas finished first in Category 3 (<3 lakh).
  5. City Champions (Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2026)- Evaluated performance across 130 cities, with Lucknow ranking first in Category 1, Rourkela leading Category 2, and Kalinganagar securing the top rank in Category 3.
  6. Grassroots Ward-Level Benchmarking- Institutionalized ward-level surveys covering >7,400 municipal wards in 2026, awarding Ward 70 Lucknow (Cat 1), Wards 30 & 36 Bhubaneswar (Cat 2), and Ward 13 Rourkela (Cat 3).

Multi-Sectoral Emission Abatement (Vehicular & Industrial)

  1. Transport Fleet Modernization- Transitioned directly to BS-VI vehicular emission norms nationwide in April 2020, backed by fleet electrification under the PM E-Drive and PM E-Bus Sewa schemes.
  2. The PARIVARTAN Scheme- MoHUA rolled out the Program for Accelerated Renewal and Incentivization of Vehicle Assets for Reducing Transport Air-Pollution and Network Emission to replace BS-IV and older heavy vehicles in NCR with BS-VI, CNG, or EVs.
  3. NCR Fleet & Entry Restrictions- CAQM mandated that only BS-VI, CNG, or electric public transport and tourist buses may enter Delhi starting November 1, 2026, alongside phased electrification of L5-category three-wheelers across NCR.
  4. Industrial Categorization & Fuel Shifts- CPCB classified 419 industrial sectors into Red (125), Orange (137), Green (94), White (54), and Blue (9) categories, while CAQM enforced a standardized list of approved clean fuels across Delhi-NCR.
  5. Strict Industrial Emission Caps- CAQM revised the particulate matter emission ceiling to 50mg/Nm3 for large and polluting industries, taking effect October 1, 2026, mandating advanced Air Pollution Control Devices.
  6. Genset Emission Caps (CPCB IV+)- Enforced stricter CPCB IV+ emission standards for power generators up to 800 kW running on diesel, petrol, or dual-fuel configurations.

Non-Exhaust, Biomass & Waste Management Interventions

  1. Construction & Road Dust Abatement- Addressed dust sources accounting for 40–50% of urban PM10 via mandatory Mechanized Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs) and automated portals for construction sites exceeding 500m2.
  2. Dust Control Cells & Anti-Smog Mandates- Established 70 Dust Control and Management Cells (DCMCs) across NCR, enforcing anti-smog water guns and containment netting for all building sites exceeding 20,000m2.
  3. Market-Based Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)- Enforced statutory post-consumer collection frameworks under waste management rules covering plastic packaging, e-waste, end-of-life batteries, tires, and used lubricating oil.
  4. Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Elimination- Implemented a nationwide ban on 12 high-littering single-use plastic commodities with low utility (cutlery, straws, thermocol) to eliminate emissions from open plastic waste incineration.
  5. Crop Residue Management (CRM) Infrastructure- The Ministry of Agriculture provided ₹4,233.84 crore (2018–19 to 2025–26), distributing >3.53 lakh CRM machines and deploying >43,535 Custom Hiring Centres across Punjab, Haryana, UP, MP, and Delhi.
  6. Biomass Co-Firing & Stubble Drop- CAQM directed 5–10% biomass pellet co-firing in thermal plants within 300 km of Delhi, helping reduce paddy stubble burning instances by 93% in Punjab and 91% in Haryana in 2025 relative to 2021.

Ecological Restoration, Statutory Governance & Regulatory Reforms

  1. Landscape Afforestation Initiatives- Released ₹1,019.26 crore under the Green India Mission, executed >3.20 lakh hectares under CAMPA (FY21–FY25), and developed 626 urban forestry projects under the Nagar Van Yojana.
  2. Aravalli Green Wall Project- Targeted ecological restoration across 6.31 million hectares along Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Delhi, setting up 435 dedicated nurseries (393.24 lakh seedling capacity) and restoring 36,025 hectares in 2025.
  3. Statutory Authority of the CAQM- Established under the CAQM in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, operating with overriding regional jurisdiction across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
  4. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)- Institutionalized an emergency four-stage response framework triggered by ambient deterioration Stage I ('Poor', AQI 201–300) to Stage IV ('Severe+', AQI >450) enforcing progressive operational curbs.
  5. Uniform Industrial Consent Guidelines (2025)- Notified uniform statutory rules for Grant, Refusal, or Cancellation of Consent under the Air Act 1981 and Water Act 1974 in January 2025 to standardize regulatory discretion across States.
  6. Unified Consent Digital Portal (UCAMS)- Deployed the CPCB-anchored Unified Consent and Authorization Management System to mandate end-to-end paperless processing, standardized fees, and transparent industrial siting criteria.

Source: PIB