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India's Climate Fight Hit: Pollution Budget Slashed
1 Feb
Summary
- Pollution control funding for 2026-27 dropped to Rs 1,091 crore.
- Actual spending for pollution control in 2024-25 was a mere Rs 16 crore.
- MoEFCC's budget rose 8% but experts deem it insufficient for climate threats.
India's fight against toxic air has suffered a setback with the 2026-27 Budget allocating Rs 1,091 crore to pollution control, a reduction from the previous year's Rs 1,300 crore. This funding cut occurs amidst a worsening public health emergency and escalating extreme weather events like heatwaves and floods.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) received an allocation of Rs 3,759.46 crore for 2026-27, an 8% increase. However, experts caution that this funding level is disproportionately low given India's significant climate vulnerabilities.
Actual spending on pollution control in the 2024-25 fiscal year was drastically low, amounting to only Rs 16 crore, a stark contrast to budgeted amounts. While capital expenditure saw an increase, revenue expenditure experienced marginal growth, impacting ongoing schemes and institutional maintenance.
Pollution abatement funding for control boards and the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was reduced to Rs 1,091 crore. Meanwhile, allocations for Project Tiger and Project Elephant remain at Rs 290 crore, with limited expansion for wildlife habitats. This restrained budgetary approach contrasts sharply with India's ranking as one of the most vulnerable nations to climate risks.
