Chandigarh: Chandigarh’s clean-air performance has paid off — literally. After recording a sharp 26 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) reduction in PM10 against a target of just 4 µg/m³, the city has secured a nearly four-fold jump in central funding under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), with the allocation rising to Rs 53.27 crore for 2026-27.The Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) received Rs 13.95 crore under NCAP in 2025-26. The latest allocation includes Rs 26.63 crore as annual funding and another Rs 26.63 crore as performance-based incentive.The sharp increase comes on the back of Chandigarh’s best annual PM10 performance in recent years. PM10 concentration fell from 121 µg/m³ in 2024-25 to 90 µg/m³ in 2025-26 — a 25.6% reduction. Since the 2017-18 base year, the level has dropped from 114 to 90 µg/m³.A senior UT official said Chandigarh’s performance factor — measuring improvement against the target set under the programme — was 700, the fourth highest among 82 cities. Durgapur in West Bengal topped the list with a score of 1,033.Against a targeted improvement of 4 µg/m³, Chandigarh achieved a reduction of 26 µg/m³ in PM10 levels during 2025-26, according to the CPCC.FROM ROAD DUST TO CONSTRUCTION SITES, CRACKDOWN SHOWS RESULTSOfficials attributed the gains to sustained action on several fronts, particularly road-dust control. Mechanised sweeping, water sprinkling and anti-smog guns have been deployed, while construction sites have been subjected to tighter dust-control measures.The Municipal Corporation has also been sanctioned machinery under NCAP, including three truck-mounted jetting machines, eight fog-cannon machines, four water tankers, four self-propelled road sweepers and a leaf collector. Most of the equipment has already been procured.“The CPCC has stepped up enforcement as well, restricting dry sweeping during poor air-quality periods and imposing environmental compensation on violators responsible for dust pollution,” said the official.CHANDIGARH MOVES UP AIR-QUALITY RANKINGSThe improvement has also pushed Chandigarh up the national air-quality rankings. Its position in the Swachh Vayu Survekshan improved from 27th in 2025 to seventh in 2026.The CPCC has three real-time air-quality monitoring stations covering residential, commercial and industrial areas, while measures such as green-belt development, waste management, traffic management and promotion of electric vehicles are also part of the pollution-control strategy.With the performance-linked component now matching the regular allocation, officials said the enhanced funding would give the city greater financial muscle to sustain and expand its air-pollution control measures.BOX1: AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN CHANDIGARH(from Base Year 2017-18 to 2025-26)Year | PM102017- 18 | 1142018- 19 | 982019- 20 | 922020- 21 | 902021- 22 | 972022- 23 | 1162023- 24 | 1162024- 25 | 1212025- 26 | 90BOX2: STATUS OF FUNDS UNDER NCAPYear | Funds2019- 20 | 8.282020- 21 | 52021- 22 | 4.612022- 23 | 6.872023- 24 | 8.052024- 25 | 02025- 26 | 13.952026-27 | 53.27
