Smog Tower: Smog towers have been installed at some places in Delhi (file photo)
Air Pollution: Funds are allocated under the Swachh Bharat Urban Program and other central government schemes for large projects like management of construction and demolition waste.
- NewsNCR No.
- Publish Date – 4:44 pm, Mon, 4 October 21Edited By: Nilesh Kumar
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The national capital will get over Rs 18 crore this year under the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) to address critical gaps in air pollution management. Officials said that this is the first time that funds will be given to Delhi under the NCAP. The NCAP is a national level strategy aimed at reducing the concentration of PM 2.5 and PM 10 by 20 percent to 30 percent by 2024, for which the base year is 2017.
Talking to ‘PTI-Bhasha’, an official said, “Delhi will get Rs 18.74 crore under NCAP. This is the first time Delhi will receive funding under this program since its launch in 2019. The NCAP covers 132 cities that do not meet the prescribed National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
improve the availability of funds
These cities have been identified on the basis of ambient air quality data obtained during the period 2011-2015 under the National Air Monitoring Programme. The acceptable annual norms for PM 10 and PM 2.5 are 60 micrograms per cubic meter and 40 micrograms per cubic meter respectively.
“The national capital did not receive any funds under the NCAP for two years as it had other resources as green cess to be levied on diesel vehicles above 2000 cc, which is known as Central Pollution,” a Union Environment Ministry official said. Control Board (CPCB) and pollution tax levied on commercial vehicle entering Delhi were available.” This time the availability of funds under NCAP has improved.
Many cities are getting funds
“50 cities are already getting a good amount for pollution management from the Finance Commission. Hence the availability of funds for the remaining 82 cities under NCAP has improved. That’s why we have decided to give some funds to Delhi also.” For these 82 cities, a total of Rs 290 crore is available this year.
Wherever the funds available from other resources are insufficient, NCAP funds will be used to meet these critical gaps, the official said. The remaining funds are to be mobilized through the progress of schemes.
Action plan to combat air pollution
Funds are allocated under the Swachh Bharat Urban Program and other central government schemes for large projects like construction and demolition waste management. The Delhi government has prepared a ‘Winter Action Plan’ to tackle air pollution in the capital and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to announce it soon.
The plan focuses on 10 key issues, which include stubble burning, pollution hotspots, smog tower work and vehicular and dust pollution. The Delhi government has already imposed a complete ban on the sale and burning of firecrackers till January 1, 2022 and has issued detailed guidelines to control dust pollution.
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