Maharashtra gets Rs 25 crore for NCAP
The information on disbursal of the amount to different states for the NCAP was provided in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Mumbai: Funds worth Rs 25 crores have been released for Maharashtra for the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), making it the second highest allocation among the states. The move came after the Union budget 2020-21 was tabled last week when the finance minister highlighted that the budget for the NCAP had been increased.
However, air pollution experts stated that there was confusion regarding the allocation of funds.
The information on disbursal of the amount to different states for the NCAP was provided in the Lok Sabha Friday by Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar.
According to the data, Uttar Pradesh received Rs 427,200,000 under NCAP; followed by Maharashtra (Rs 252,000,000); Rajasthan (Rs 181,200,000); and Punjab (Rs 124,800,000). In Maharashtra; Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune received the highest amount of Rs 6 crores.
“For Mumbai, the focus is to prevent pollution from dust and construction activities along with vehicular emissions. We have created an action plan to improve the conditions of roads, along with increasing green buffers at traffic junctions.
The upgradation of cleaner fuel is also being highlighted. To curb industrial pollution, it is mandatory to install FGDs (flue gas de-sulphurisation units) to reduce emissions from thermal power plants,” said a MPCB official.
Meanwhile, air pollution experts have highlighted that there is a mismatch of data even within the MoEF&CC regarding budgetary allocations for NCAP in terms of where the money will come from, how much and in what manner it will be disbursed to the cities for effective action to reduce air pollution levels.
“The total budgetary allocation for MoEF&CC for 2020-21 is Rs 3100 crore out of which an amount of Rs 460 crore is for the control of pollution/NCAP, which is similar to last year’s allocation. So the government has to clarify where the budget of Rs 4400 crore as mentioned by the finance minister in the budget speech come from and how and in what manner and by whom and for what activities it will be spent,” said Sunil Dahiya, analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.