NEW DELHI: Prakash Javadekar, Union Environment Minister, said that a program has been articulated to diminish air pollution in 102 cities across the country.
Javadekar, also said that the action plans to implement “Control of Pollution” program for 80 of these cities was ready and the ministry has reserved Rs 460 crore for it.
“Our intention is to make the Earth green and sky blue. We have taken up 102 cities on the priority basis, where pollutants such as dust, solid waste, vehicular emission, are causing air pollution,” added Javadekar
Maharashtra has the highest number of polluted cities, including Mumbai, while Delhi, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Lucknow are among the other major cities. The minister also said that the cities, which has more than a million population, would be given Rs 10 crore each under the scheme.
The ministry has also come up with a list of 28 cities, where it intends to reduce Particulate Matter (PM) – PM10 and PM 2.5 – by 10 per cent in the next one-two years.
The minister further added that his ministry has received an increase of Rs 482 crore in the 2019-20 budget to Rs 3,175 crore which was 16 per cent higher.
However, the final budget allocation to the green ministry comes to Rs 2,954 crore as some of its subjects such as the Animal Welfare Board, and the National River Conservation Program were transferred to other ministries.