Ministry Utilized Less Than 1% of Funds for Pollution Control

Parliamentary Committee Expresses Shock

A parliamentary committee was shocked to learn that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had only used less than 1% of the allocated Rs 858 crore for the Control of Pollution scheme in the fiscal year 2024-’25.

Control of Pollution Scheme

The Control of Pollution scheme, which started in 2018, aims to monitor air quality across the country and take necessary measures to mitigate it. It also monitors water quality and noise levels.

Ministry Urged to Introspect

In its Demands for Grants (2025-’26) report submitted to Parliament, the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests, and Climate Change urged the ministry to “introspect” and seriously investigate why only Rs 7.22 crore had been used till January 21 for the scheme.

Department-Related Standing Committees

Department-related standing committees are responsible for examining the spending and performance of different ministries based on their budget allocations and submitting reports to Parliament.

Committee’s Concerns

The committee noted that air, water, and noise pollution have exceeded permissible limits in recent years, with serious consequences for public health and well-being. Air pollution has become a national issue of gigantic proportions.

The committee expressed concern that while the Ministry is required to address the critical challenge of deteriorating air quality, it has not been able to decide on the continuation of the concerned scheme, resulting in less than 1% of the allocated funds being utilized so far.

Ministry’s Response

Unidentified ministry officials told The Indian Express that the funds could not be used because approval for continuing the scheme was still pending. The officials noted that as per the report, the ministry had spent all of the budget allocated for the scheme in the previous two years.

• The parliamentary committee was shocked that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had only used less than 1% of the allocated Rs 858 crore for the Control of Pollution scheme in the fiscal year 2024-’25.
• The Control of Pollution scheme, which started in 2018, aims to monitor air quality across the country and take necessary measures to mitigate it. It also monitors water quality and noise levels.
• The committee urged the ministry to “introspect” and seriously investigate why only Rs 7.22 crore had been used till January 21 for the scheme.
• Department-related standing committees are responsible for examining the spending and performance of different ministries based on their budget allocations and submitting reports to Parliament.
• The committee expressed concern that while the Ministry is required to address the critical challenge of deteriorating air quality, it has not been able to decide on the continuation of the concerned scheme, resulting in less than 1% of the allocated funds being utilized so far.
• Unidentified ministry officials told The Indian Express that the funds could not be used because approval for continuing the scheme was still pending. The officials noted that as per the report, the ministry had spent all of the budget allocated for the scheme in the previous two years.