Majority of India's Polluted Cities Fail to Utilize Clean Air Funds Effectively
A recent Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) response to a Right to Information (RTI) query has exposed significant under-utilization of funds allocated under India's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The data reveals that more than half of the 130 non-attainment cities covered by NCAP and 15th Finance Commission grants have spent less than 50% of the funds released to them.
Widespread Under-Spending Across Critical Regions
Between the financial years 2021-22 and 2025-26, a total of Rs 15,659.6 crore was allocated nationally for air pollution control. However, 25-30 cities utilized less than half of their allocated funds, with 50-60 cities spending below two-thirds of their budgets. This under-spending persists despite worsening air quality conditions across the country.
The National Capital Region (NCR), often described as India's pollution epicenter, features prominently among the underperformers. Faridabad, the only Haryana city on the list, utilized only Rs 53.2 crore of its Rs 107 crore allocation, representing less than 50% spending despite severe road dust and vehicular emissions. Ghaziabad and Noida, despite repeated winter pollution emergencies, have utilization levels stuck at 55-60%, indicating administrative delays and execution bottlenecks.
Regional Disparities in Fund Utilization
In Bihar, major cities including Patna, Gaya, and Muzaffarpur have all utilized less than half of their released funds, with dust control, monitoring, and mitigation projects progressing slowly. Jharkhand shows a similar trend, with Ranchi and Dhanbad reporting utilization below 50% despite long-standing concerns over industrial and mining-linked pollution.
The northeast region presents particular challenges. Dimapur recorded utilization of just 40-45%, reflecting limited technical capacity and staffing constraints. Shillong spent around 50-55%, while Assam's Guwahati, Nagaon, and Silchar have together remained below the 60% mark, largely due to slow approvals and procedural delays.
Contrasting Success Stories and Program Objectives
In contrast, a smaller set of cities has demonstrated relatively strong fund utilization. Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh have crossed 80% utilization, backed by timely dust suppression measures and expansion of monitoring infrastructure. Kochi has spent over 80% of its allocation, while Bengaluru has also reported high utilization, particularly for strengthening air quality stations.
Among larger metros, Mumbai and Nagpur have broadly matched high allocations with strong spending, although smaller cities in Maharashtra continue to lag. Delhi had exhausted nearly all of its NCAP allocations by FY 2024-25, though officials note the expenditure remained largely concentrated on dust suppression and public outreach rather than structural emission reductions.
Accountability Concerns and Expert Warnings
Launched in 2019, NCAP is India's flagship air pollution control programme covering 130 "non-attainment" cities—those failing to meet national ambient air quality standards. The programme aims to reduce PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 20-30% through interventions including roadside dust suppression, mechanized sweeping, expansion of air quality monitoring networks, industrial compliance enforcement, and public awareness campaigns.
A CPCB official stated that utilization depends on "project readiness, approvals and execution capacity at the city level," adding that states have been asked to expedite spending. RTI applicant Varun Gulati warned that without accountability, NCAP risks becoming a "paper exercise."
"Data shows that dozens of cities are sitting on funds while their residents breathe toxic air. Faridabad, Patna and Ranchi all have allocations, but less than half is spent. This is not just inefficiency, it's negligence," Gulati emphasized.
Environmental experts said this skewed pattern risks undermining NCAP's core objectives, particularly in regions where pollution levels spike annually. The findings underscore the central challenge facing India's clean air mission: while funding levels have steadily increased, execution on the ground remains uneven and slow.
With over Rs 15,600 crore already committed, experts warn that without stricter monitoring, faster approvals, and stronger accountability mechanisms, NCAP risks becoming an exercise in allocations on paper rather than delivering tangible improvements in air quality.
