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What is the primary objective of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) launched in India?
To reduce PM2.5 and PM10 concentration levels by 20-30% in target cities
To completely eliminate industrial emissions within two years
To plant one billion trees across metropolitan cities
To convert all public transport to electric vehicles overnight
To reduce PM2.5 and PM10 concentration levels by 20-30% in target cities
The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is a long-term, time-bound national strategy launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in 2019. Its primary goal is to achieve a national-level reduction of 20-30% in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024, using 2017 as the base year for comparison, which has since been revised to a 40% reduction target by 2026.
The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is a long-term, time-bound national strategy launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in 2019. Its primary goal is to achieve a national-level reduction of 20-30% in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024, using 2017 as the base year for comparison, which has since been revised to a 40% reduction target by 2026.
Article 48A of the Indian Constitution, inserted by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976, mandates the State to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.
NCAP was launched in January 2019 as a pan-India strategy to tackle air pollution.
The target cities are identified as 'non-attainment' cities, which failed to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for five consecutive years.
The programme is implemented across 131 cities in India through City Action Plans.
The Ministry later revised the goal to achieve a 40% reduction in particulate matter concentration by 2026.
Funding for NCAP is provided through the 15th Finance Commission grants for million-plus cities and the MoEFCC's budget for others.
The programme includes a comprehensive framework for air quality monitoring through the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP).
Option B is incorrect because industrial emission reduction is a phased, long-term regulatory process under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, not a two-year total elimination task.
Options C and D are incorrect as they represent specific policy initiatives (e.g., FAME scheme for EVs) rather than the comprehensive national objective of the NCAP.
A is correct тАФ The National Clean Air Programme aims to reduce PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 20-30% in target non-attainment cities.
NCAP is often linked with the 'Prana' portal, which monitors the implementation of city-specific action plans; remember both in the context of Indian environmental policies.