A shocking Parliamentary panel report has revealed that the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) utilized less than 1% of the Rs 858 crore allocated to the ‘Control of Pollution’ scheme due to lack of approval.
The panel was surprised by the expenditure of only Rs 7.22 crore until January 21 out of the revised allocation of Rs 858 crore. However, the report indicates that the ministry has utilized all the budget allocated for the scheme over the past two financial years.
The Environment Ministry has allocated Rs 3,072 crore for pollution control board spending in 82 cities under the central scheme from 2019-20 to 2025-26.
In the report tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests, and Climate Change said air pollution has assumed “gigantic proportions,” affecting not just Delhi but many other cities.
“In such a scenario, the committee is shocked to note that amount to the tune of Rs 858 crore allocated for ‘Control of Pollution,’, which is 27.44 percent of the annual revised allocation of the ministry, remains unutilized since the approval for continuation of the Control of Pollution Scheme till 2025-26 is awaited,” the 31-member panel headed by BJP Rajya Sabha member Bhubaneswar Kalita said.
“At a time when the ministry is required to address the grave and critical challenge of deteriorating air quality, the ministry has not been able to decide on the continuation of the concerned scheme, as a result of which not even 1 percent of the funds allocated for the scheme have been utilized so far,” the panel said.
The Centre funds the scheme, a key source of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), aiming to reduce fine pollutants in 131 cities by 2026.
The 15th Finance Commission is funding NCAP for 49 cities with over a million residents, while the ‘Control of Pollution’ scheme aims to clean air in 82 non-attainment cities.
It must be noted that the department-related standing committees scrutinize government ministries’ spending and performance, presenting reports to Parliament. The ‘Control of Pollution’ scheme, launched in 2018, monitors pollution levels across India.
The plan includes funding for state pollution control boards and an environmental monitoring network, addressing pollution issues in India, where Delhi ranks as the world’s most polluted capital.
