Parliamentary panel recommends additional Rs 200 cr for Centre-run pollution control scheme NCAP

A parliamentary panel recommended on Friday increasing budget for Centre-run National Clean Air Programme by Rs 200 crore while observing that controlling air pollution must be given "topmost priority". Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Techlogy, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, heed by former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh, me recommendation in its 331st report presented in Rajya Sabha after considering demand raised by Environment Ministry officials in a meeting held last month.

"Observing reduction in fund allocation under Central sector schemes - National Coastal Mission (NCM) and Control of Pollution, committee was of view that both se programmes, especially National Clean Air Programme, are of utmost importance in present day context, and controlling air pollution must be given topmost priority," report stated.

" allocation of ditional funds would help support ditional 22 n-attainment cities under 'Control of Pollution' scheme. committee, refore, recommended that ministry must be provided requisite allocation as sought by ministry with respect to se two programmes," it said.

report stated that in a meeting held in February with representatives of environment ministry, committee ted that ministry h projected a demand of Rs 4,295.44 crore for budgetary estimate for 2020-21 fiscal, against which Rs 3,100 crore has been allocated. ministry informed committee that difference between budgetary allocation requested and allocated amount would impact some of its key schemes and programmes, panel ted.

" committee asked ministry about bare minimum increase required in budgetary allocations for year 2020-21 to sustain its key programmes. In response, ministry stated that y require at least Rs 600 crore ditional funds to sustain its key programmes/schemes during year.

"Later, ministry informed that two programmes/ schemes where requirement of ditional funds is most necessary are 'Control of Pollution' (NCAP), which needs Rs 200 crore more and National Coastal Mission (National Coastal Zone Manment Programme) which needs Rs 117 crore more," panel said.

According to report, committee was informed that ministry received Rs 460 crore for 'Control of Pollution' during 2020-21 inste of Rs 660 crore projected by m. "It was going to impact activities under pollution control, especially taking up 20 more n-attainment cities in dition to existing 102, under NCAP," report ted. government h in January, 2019 launched National Clean Air Programme, a time-bound national level strategy to tackle increasing air pollution, with aim of 20-30 per cent reduction of PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by 2024.