SRINAGAR: Srinagar and Jammu have recorded significant improvements in air quality under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), with particulate pollution declining by nearly 40 per cent and 29 per cent respectively even as the Union Government has released Rs 223.70 crore to Jammu and Kashmir under the programme since its launch.
The figures, placed before Parliament on Monday, come amid growing concerns over climate change, shrinking forests, urban pollution and increasing ecological stress across the Himalayan region.
The data was presented by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in response to a starred question in the Lok Sabha on the Centre’s funding for environmental and climate challenges. Besides highlighting the improvement in urban air quality, the Ministry outlined the country’s climate spending, forest monitoring systems and ecological vulnerability mapping, all of which are particularly relevant to Jammu and Kashmir, where glaciers are receding, forests face mounting pressure and extreme weather events have become more frequent.
The Ministry said Jammu and Kashmir received Rs 223.70 crore under the National Clean Air Programme between 2019-20 and 2025-26. Unlike several larger states, the Union Territory received the entire amount under the Centre’s “Control of Pollution” scheme, as the Finance Commission’s challenge fund is available only for million-plus urban agglomerations.
The programme appears to have yielded measurable results. According to the official data, Srinagar’s average PM10 concentration has declined from the baseline level of 132 micrograms per cubic metre to 80 micrograms, representing an improvement of 39.4 per cent. Jammu registered a decline from 157 micrograms to 112 micrograms, an improvement of 28.7 per cent. PM10 refers to particulate matter with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres that can penetrate the respiratory system and is associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
Nationally, the Ministry said Rs 16,423.56 crore has been released under NCAP for 130 cities. Of these, Rs 13,561.52 crore was provided through the Fifteenth Finance Commission’s Million-Plus Cities Challenge Fund, while another Rs 2,862.04 crore was released under the Central Sector “Control of Pollution” scheme. The government reported that 108 of the 130 cities recorded lower PM10 levels than the baseline year, 46 cities achieved reductions exceeding 20 per cent, 26 cities recorded improvements of over 40 per cent and 14 cities now meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
Beyond air pollution, the parliamentary reply underlined the Centre’s broader climate strategy. It said ecological degradation is monitored through satellite remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and field-based observations by agencies including the Space Applications Centre, the Geological Survey of India and the National Centre for Coastal Research. The Forest Survey of India prepares the India State of Forest Report every two years, providing state-wise assessments of forest cover, tree cover, carbon stock and forest fires to guide conservation and restoration measures.
The latest assessment places Jammu and Kashmir’s forest and tree cover at 25,013.36 square kilometres, representing 12.69 per cent of its geographical area. The figures serve as an important benchmark as policymakers grapple with balancing infrastructure development, tourism expansion and ecological conservation in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
The Ministry also detailed its climate-related spending over the last five years. For 2025-26, the Ministry’s total budgetary outlay for major environmental schemes stands at Rs 1,843.27 crore. The expenditure covers Central Sector schemes such as environmental knowledge and capacity building, environmental decision-support systems and pollution control, as well as Centrally Sponsored Schemes including the National Mission for a Green India, Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat and Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems.
The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019, is India’s first national framework to reduce particulate air pollution through city-specific action plans. It supports measures such as road dust management, cleaner transport, industrial emission controls, waste management, continuous air-quality monitoring and urban greening.
The National Mission for a Green India focuses on restoring degraded forests, enhancing ecosystem services and increasing carbon sequestration through afforestation and improved forest management. The Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat scheme finances the protection of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biodiversity-rich landscapes, while the Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems programme supports the protection and restoration of wetlands, lakes, mountains and other ecologically sensitive areas. Together, these schemes form the Centre’s principal response to climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation.
