Swachh Vayu Sarveshan Award 2025
( UPSC Prelims)
News Context
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced awards to honor the best performing cities. This recognition was part of an evaluation conducted across 130 cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
Swachh Vayu Sarveshan Award 2025
Population-based Categories: Category 1 (Population >10 lakh), Category 2 (Population 3–10 lakh), and Category 3 (Population <3 lakh).
Total Awards: 11 top-performing cities recognized from 130 NCAP cities.
● Category 1 (Population >10 lakh): Indore (1st Rank), followed by Jabalpur, Agra, and Surat.
● Category 2 (Population 3–10 lakh): Amravati (1st Rank), followed by Jhansi, Moradabad, and Alwar.
● Category 3 (Population <3 lakh): Dewas (1st Rank), followed by Parwanoo and Angul.
Ranking criteria: Biomass & Municipal Solid Waste Burning, Road dust, Dust from Construction & Demolition Waste, Vehicular Emissions, Emissions from Industries, etc.
About NCAP
Genesis: Initiated by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2019.
Objective: Enhance air quality in 131 cities (including non-attainment and Million Plus Cities) across 24 States/UTs.
Target: Attain a reduction in PM10 levels by up to 40% or meet the national ambient air quality standards (60 µg/m3) by 2025-26, based on 2019-20 levels.
Implementing Body: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at the national level.
PRANA (Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in non-attainment cities): Oversees the implementation process.