Budget cuts pollution control funds even as air quality worsens nationwide.
NCAP, monitoring networks face constraints amid reduced financial support.
Experts warn funding gaps could weaken enforcement and mitigation capacity.
Budget 2026 Slashes Pollution Control Allocation Amid Persistent Delhi Pollution
Funding cut for pollution control raises concerns over India’s air, water monitoring capacity
Smog blankets New Delhi as vehicles move through city roads
Summary
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The Union Budget 2026-27 on February 1 slashed allocation for pollution control, allocating ₹1,091 crore for pollution control in FY 2026-27, which is ₹209 crore lesser than the estimates of ₹1,300 crore in 2025-26 that was increased from the allocated ₹854 crore that year, according to the official Budget At A Glance document released by Ministry of Finance. This comes at a time when the national capital is reeling from severe air pollution on a daily basis.
The allocation falls under the Control of Pollution scheme, which is meant to monitor air quality across the country and take appropriate air pollution mitigation measures, besides monitoring water quality and noise levels in the country.
According to reports, the announcement has drawn criticism from environmental experts who said absence of a dedicated initiative for pollution-hit regions was a great miss.
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What’s Control of Pollution Scheme
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the funding under the Control of Pollution aims to support capacity building and strengthening of State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees (SPCBS/PCCs) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), along with National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
In addition, it covers the operation and maintenance of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS), expansion of the National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network (NANMN) in million-plus cities and monitoring under the National Water Monitoring Programme (NWMP). The funds also support research initiatives and public outreach programmes to bolster pollution abatement initiatives.
(This is a developing story.)