Controversy Trails National Clean Air Programme: Underutilization Raises Concerns

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has raised significant concerns over the National Clean Air Programme, labeling it as 'ill-conceived' due to the substantial underutilization of allocated funds by numerous cities, including Delhi.

Ramesh criticized the programme's narrow focus on measuring PM10 instead of the more hazardous PM2.5, which he says contributes to thousands of deaths each year. He expressed dismay over the program's reduced scope, which has consequently led to uninspiring funds utilization.

Highlighting key cities, Ramesh revealed that Delhi utilized only a third of its received funds, while Faridabad used 26.7 percent, Noida less than 10 percent, and Varanasi, the Prime Minister's constituency, utilized just 48.85 percent, all trailing behind the national average.

(With inputs from agencies.)