Delhi to get Rs 18 cr from Centre to battle air pollution

NCAP is a national-level strategy for a 20 to 30 percent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by 2024, with 2017 as the base year for comparison.

This is the first time Delhi has been given the funds to battle extremely poor air quality.

"Delhi will get Rs 18.74 crore under NCAP. This is the first time it will be receiving funds under the programme since it started in 2019," an official told PTI.

NCAP covers 132 non-attainment cities which do not meet the prescribed national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).

These cities were identified based on the ambient air quality data obtained during the 2011-2015 period under the National Air Monitoring Programme.

The acceptable annual standard for PM 10 and PM2.5 is 60 micrograms per cubic metre and 40 micrograms per cubic metre respectively.

Under the programme, PM10 concentration is targeted at 168 micrograms per cubic metre by 2024. In 2017, Delhi's annual PM10 average stood at 240 micrograms per cubic metre.

"The national capital did not get any funds under NCAP for two years because it had other resources available -- a green cess levied on diesel vehicles above 2,000 cc -- which is deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and a pollution tax on commercial vehicles entering Delhi," an official in the Union Environment Ministry said.

This time, fund availability under NCAP has improved.

"Fifty cities are already getting a good amount (Rs 4,400 in 2020-21 and Rs 2,217 crore in 2021-22) for pollution management from the Finance Commission. Therefore, the availability of funds for the remaining 82 cities under NCAP has improved. So, we decided to give some funds to Delhi, too," the official said.

A total of Rs 290 crore is available for these 82 cities this year.