Kolkata among 6 urban centres to get 185 crore as good-AQI grant
Times of India | 17 May 2025
12 Kolkata: The Union environment ministry has awarded Kolkata the third-highest performance-based incentive in the country, releasing a total grant of Rs 184.5 crore for the financial year 2024–25, after the Kolkata Urban Agglomeration (UA) was recognised as one of India's best-performing cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for significant improvement in ambient air quality.The grant includes Rs 168.8 crore under the Ambient Air Quality Grant and an additional Rs 15.8 crore as a performance-based incentive for achieving measurable reductions in air pollution, specifically in PM10 levels. Along with Kolkata, Asansol also received Rs 5.2 crore as a performance incentive.CM Mamata Banerjee expressed her appreciation on X, stating: "Kolkata again shows the way! The govt of India has awarded majorly three cities, including Kolkata, for significant reduction in PM10 levels and overall air quality index improvement. Grateful to the people of Kolkata for their support. Let's all — citizens and agencies alike — keep up the effort for a cleaner, greener city!"The recognition follows a performance assessment of 48 major Indian cities — 42 Million Plus Cities (MPCs) and six urban agglomerations — carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the environment minister. The evaluation covered improvements in annual average PM10 concentrations and an increase in the number of good air quality days during 2023-24 compared to 2022-23.According to the CPCB data, Kolkata registered a 2.2% reduction in PM10 concentration (from 93 µg/m³ in 2022–23 to 91 µg/m³ in 2023–24). There was an increase in the number of ‘good' air quality days, with 351 good days recorded in 2023-24 out of 356 observed days.Kalyan Rudra, chairman of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), credited the success to collaborative efforts. "We actively collaborated with the urban local bodies of six non-attainment cities in Bengal. I particularly congratulate the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) for attaining this feat," he said.The recommendation for the grant release was reviewed by the State Level Monitoring and Implementation Committee (SLMIC) before being forwarded to the CPCB. The funds are part of the Fifteenth Finance Commission's Million Plus Challenge Fund, aimed at supporting cities in sustained efforts for cleaner air.Kolkata: The Union environment ministry has awarded Kolkata the third-highest performance-based incentive in the country, releasing a total grant of Rs 184.5 crore for the financial year 2024–25, after the Kolkata Urban Agglomeration (UA) was recognised as one of India's best-performing cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for significant improvement in ambient air quality.The grant includes Rs 168.8 crore under the Ambient Air Quality Grant and an additional Rs 15.8 crore as a performance-based incentive for achieving measurable reductions in air pollution, specifically in PM10 levels. Along with Kolkata, Asansol also received Rs 5.2 crore as a performance incentive.CM Mamata Banerjee expressed her appreciation on X, stating: "Kolkata again shows the way! The govt of India has awarded majorly three cities, including Kolkata, for significant reduction in PM10 levels and overall air quality index improvement. Grateful to the people of Kolkata for their support. Let's all — citizens and agencies alike — keep up the effort for a cleaner, greener city!"The recognition follows a performance assessment of 48 major Indian cities — 42 Million Plus Cities (MPCs) and six urban agglomerations — carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the environment minister. The evaluation covered improvements in annual average PM10 concentrations and an increase in the number of good air quality days during 2023-24 compared to 2022-23.According to the CPCB data, Kolkata registered a 2.2% reduction in PM10 concentration (from 93 µg/m³ in 2022–23 to 91 µg/m³ in 2023–24). There was an increase in the number of ‘good' air quality days, with 351 good days recorded in 2023-24 out of 356 observed days.Kalyan Rudra, chairman of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), credited the success to collaborative efforts. "We actively collaborated with the urban local bodies of six non-attainment cities in Bengal. I particularly congratulate the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) for attaining this feat," he said.The recommendation for the grant release was reviewed by the State Level Monitoring and Implementation Committee (SLMIC) before being forwarded to the CPCB. The funds are part of the Fifteenth Finance Commission's Million Plus Challenge Fund, aimed at supporting cities in sustained efforts for cleaner air.