Maarg Manthan · Topic 13.3

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Environment and Climate Schemes · Topic 13.3

The National Clean Air Programme, or NCAP, is a time-bound, city-specific programme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, launched on 10 January 2019 to cut particulate pollution in cities that do not meet national air quality standards. It began with a target of 20 to 30 percent reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 by 2024 against 2017 levels, and the goal was revised to a 40 percent reduction or meeting the national standard for PM10 by 2025 to 2026. It covers about 130 non-attainment cities, each with a City Action Plan, and tracks work on the PRANA portal. NCAP is not a legally binding law.

6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Environment and Climate Schemes

At a Glance

Launched 10 January 2019
Ministry Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Cities About 130 non-attainment cities
Revised goal 40 percent PM10 cut or standard by 2025 to 2026
Tracking portal PRANA
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Environment and Climate Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This topic covers urban air quality within the macro on environment and climate. It connects to cleaner fuel and electric vehicle programmes in the earlier macro and to urban forests in a later topic. Previous topic: Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA): Fund Rules and Recent Developments. Next topic: Green India Mission.

What Are the Targets and Design of NCAP?

Feature	Details
Launch	10 January 2019 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Original target	20 to 30 percent reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 concentration by 2024, with 2017 as the base year
Revised target	A 40 percent reduction in PM10 or meeting the national standard by 2025 to 2026, announced in 2022
Coverage	Initially 102 cities, later widened to about 130 cities that did not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for five years
City Action Plans	Each city prepares a plan for sources such as road dust, vehicles, construction, waste burning and industry
Nature	A national level strategy without legal force, with targets that are not binding

How Is NCAP Funded and Monitored?

Central Pollution Control Board: the Board supports cities, sets up monitors and runs the PRANA portal
PRANA portal: a digital portal launched in 2023 that tracks physical and financial progress of City Action Plans
Funding: money flows through the NCAP budget and through the Fifteenth Finance Commission grants for air quality to million plus cities and urban agglomerations, linked to improvement in air quality
Performance link: a large share of funds for cities is linked to a reduction in PM10 levels, which rewards cities that improve
Monitoring network: more continuous and manual monitoring stations are being added, since many NCAP cities earlier had too few monitors
Source apportionment studies: studies identify which sources contribute most in each city, which guides action
Swachh Vayu Survekshan: a ranking of cities on air quality work, with awards
Delhi region: air pollution in Delhi and nearby areas is handled by a statutory body, the Commission for Air Quality Management, set up in 2021, along with the Graded Response Action Plan

What Else Should You Remember?

Reason for NCAP: many Indian cities rank among the most polluted in the world, and air pollution is linked to millions of premature deaths a year in studies
Air quality standards: the National Ambient Air Quality Standards of 2009 set annual limits of 60 microgrammes per cubic metre for PM10 and 40 for PM2.5
Air Quality Index: an index launched in 2014 gives a colour coded reading of air quality from good to severe
Reported progress: as reported for 2025 to 2026, out of 130 cities, 108 had lower PM10 than in 2017 to 2018, about 72 had cut it by more than 20 percent and about 26 by more than 40 percent, while only about 14 met the national standard. Treat these as reported figures
Independent analysis: an independent study in 2025 found that in many NCAP cities PM10 had risen, and that the early 20 to 30 percent goal was reached by fewer than half of the cities studied
Latest picture: a report in August 2026 said more than 80 percent of NCAP cities still fail the standard, so the national picture remains poor
Spending pattern: a large share of funds in the early years was spent on road dust control such as sweepers and road paving, and less on sources like vehicles, industry and fuel burning
Data limitation: many cities lack enough monitors and the use of data from different years makes comparison hard
Legal status: NCAP has no legal mandate, and cities face no penalty for missing targets, which weakens accountability
Source of pollution: crop residue burning, vehicles, industry, biomass cooking and construction dust vary by season and place
Link with clean fuel: cleaner cooking reduces household emissions, as in Ujjwala Yojana (LPG Connections)
Link with electric vehicles: shifting to electric transport lowers urban tailpipe emissions, as in FAME India Scheme (Electric Vehicles)

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Basics: launch date, ministry, base year and targets
Concept: PM10 versus PM2.5 and the AQI categories
Tools: City Action Plan, PRANA and the Finance Commission link
Delhi: the role of the Commission for Air Quality Management and GRAP
Common errors: calling NCAP a statutory programme, or giving the base year as 2019

As an analytical point, NCAP has put air quality on the city agenda and improved data. The gap is in legal accountability and in tackling sources beyond road dust. Regional airshed planning and clear penalties for missed targets would strengthen the programme.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Targets 20 to 30 percent then 40 percent
Tools City plans and PRANA
Gaps No legal force

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the national mission that expands forest cover. Next topic: Green India Mission.

Key People and Terms

NCAP National Clean Air Programme
PM10 Particles of 10 micrometres or smaller
PM2.5 Particles of 2.5 micrometres or smaller
NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards
PRANA Portal for Regulation of Air pollution in Non-Attainment cities
CAQM Commission for Air Quality Management

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Launched 10 January 2019.
Base year: 2017.
Target: 40 percent PM10 cut by 2025 to 2026.
About 130 non-attainment cities.
Portal: PRANA.

Do Not Confuse With

NCAP and CAQM A national city programme versus a statutory commission for Delhi and nearby areas
PM10 and PM2.5 Coarse versus fine particles
NCAP and GRAP A long term programme versus emergency measures by pollution level

Memory Hook

Ten January nineteen: cut the dust, clean the city, track on PRANA.

Mains Angle

Questions ask why air pollution remains high despite a national programme. These points give a balanced frame.

Strengths City plans, funds, data
Weaknesses No legal force, dust focus, monitoring gaps
Way forward Airshed planning, penalties, source action

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Evaluate the National Clean Air Programme and suggest measures to make it more effective.”

How to Answer

Aim Cut particulate pollution.
Tools City plans, funds, PRANA.
Gaps No legal force.
Way Airshed approach.

GS Relevance

Prelims: launch, target, cities, portal, institutions. GS Paper 3: air pollution, environmental governance, urban policy, public health.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Clean Air Programme?

The National Clean Air Programme, or NCAP, is a city specific programme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched on 10 January 2019. It aims to reduce PM10 and PM2.5 in about 130 non-attainment cities through City Action Plans, with a revised goal of a 40 percent PM10 cut by 2025 to 2026.

What is the target of NCAP?

NCAP first aimed at a 20 to 30 percent reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 by 2024 with 2017 as the base year. In 2022 the goal was revised to a 40 percent reduction in PM10 or achieving the national air quality standard by 2025 to 2026. The targets are not legally binding.

How many cities are covered by NCAP?

NCAP started with 102 cities and was widened to about 130 non-attainment cities, which are cities that did not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards over five years. Each city prepares a City Action Plan, and progress is tracked on the PRANA portal run by the Central Pollution Control Board.

What is the PRANA portal?

PRANA is a digital portal developed under the Central Pollution Control Board to track the physical and financial progress of City Action Plans in NCAP cities. It records data on projects, spending and air quality, and is used to link release of funds to performance.

What is the latest status of NCAP?

As reported for 2025 to 2026, 108 of 130 cities had lower PM10 than in 2017 to 2018 and about 14 met the standard, but a report in August 2026 said over 80 percent of cities still fail the norms. The 2026 target is therefore seen as largely unmet nationally.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 NCAP was launched in January 2019.

True

The date was 10 January 2019.

2 NCAP is a statutory programme with legal penalties.

False

It has no legal mandate.

3 PRANA tracks the progress of City Action Plans.