What is the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in India?

The NCAP is a government initiative launched in 2019 to improve air quality by reducing PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in Indian cities.

Are air pollution levels improving in India since NCAP's launch?

While PM2.5 levels have shown a decline of about 33% since 2017, many cities still exceed national standards for PM10 and PM2.5.

Which Indian city faces the most severe air pollution?

The Delhi-NCR region consistently ranks as the most polluted area, with most of the top polluted stations located within Delhi.

Home / Environment / Pollution Persists: 92% of Cities Exceed Air Standards

Pollution Persists: 92% of Cities Exceed Air Standards

22 Dec

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Summary

92% of stations in 96 NCAP cities exceeded PM10 standards in 2024.
PM2.5 stations exceeding standards declined by 33% since 2017.
Delhi-NCR dominates the list of the most polluted locations.

Pollution Persists: 92% of Cities Exceed Air Standards

Five years after its 2019 launch, India's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has seen limited success in reducing air pollution. In 2024, a staggering 92% of monitoring stations across 96 NCAP cities exceeded national annual standards for PM10. For PM2.5, approximately 61% of stations in 95 NCAP cities also failed to meet the standards, though this marks a 33% decline since 2017, indicating some year-on-year improvement.

The Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) cluster continues to be a significant hotspot. In 2024, all but one of the top 25 most polluted PM2.5 stations were located in Delhi, underscoring the magnitude of the air quality crisis in the capital. The NCAP, initially targeting a 20%-30% reduction by 2024, was later revised to aim for up to a 40% reduction in PM10 levels by 2025-26 across 130 non-attainment cities.

While improvements in PM2.5 levels are noted, the report emphasizes that attributing these solely to NCAP is difficult due to overlapping policy measures and varied funding timelines. The monitoring infrastructure has expanded significantly, yet coverage remains uneven. Despite these challenges, a notable trend shows that over 66% of PM10 stations and nearly 68% of PM2.5 stations analyzed actually saw decreases in levels.