National Clean Air Programme

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) aims to improve air quality by reducing air pollution across the country in a comprehensive and sustained manner. Its principal objective is to prevent, control and abate air pollution, particularly particulate matter pollution, through coordinated action, stronger monitoring and public participation.

Principal objective

NCAP seeks sustained improvement in ambient air quality, meaning the quality of the outdoor air people breathe. It combines measures to reduce pollution at its sources with better information about pollution levels and greater capacity to implement control measures.

• Reducing PM10 and PM2.5 pollution is central to the programme because these airborne particles pose significant health risks.
• The programme seeks to strengthen air-quality monitoring so that pollution-control measures can be planned and their results assessed.
• Public awareness, training and institutional capacity-building support effective prevention and control of air pollution.

Launch and reduction targets

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched NCAP in January 2019 as a national strategy for addressing air pollution.

• The initial target was a 20-30% reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations by 2024, using 2017 as the base year.
• The target was subsequently revised to seek up to a 40% reduction in PM10 concentrations by 2025-26, or attainment of the national ambient air-quality standard for PM10, using 2017-18 as the baseline.

How the objective is pursued

NCAP translates its national objective into city-specific clean-air action plans, particularly for non-attainment cities, which have failed to meet prescribed ambient air-quality standards.

• Action plans address pollution sources such as transport, industry, road and construction dust, and waste burning.
• Implementation requires coordination among central, state and local authorities, since pollution control involves several sectors and agencies.
• Monitoring and assessment connect pollution-control activities with the ultimate objective of cleaner ambient air, rather than treating expenditure or completed activities alone as success.