The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is a national-level strategy/programme launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in January 2019. It is not a legislative Act, but the country's first-ever effort to establish a national framework with a time-bound reduction target for air pollution. The programme originated to address the critical problem of cities consistently failing to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which are set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
The NCAP initially targeted a 20-30% reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024, using 2017 as the base year. Following directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in August 2019, the target was revised in September 2022 to achieve a 40% reduction in particulate matter concentration by 2026.
The programme works by focusing on 131 cities, including non-attainment and Million Plus Cities, across 24 States/UTs. The core mechanism involves the development and rigorous implementation of City-Specific Clean Air Action Plans (CAAPs), which prescribe source-specific mitigation measures for sectors like transport, industry, road dust, and waste burning. Implementation is monitored digitally through the PRANA portal (Portal for Regulation of Air-Pollution in Non-Attainment Cities). The NCAP is a multi-sectoral initiative that connects to the constitutional right to a healthy environment, often interpreted as part of Article 21. It also leverages financial resources from the 15th Finance Commission grants and other Central schemes like the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban).