Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav today conferred the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Awards 2025 to the best-performing cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and recognized Indore and Udaipur as Wetland Cities under the Ramsar Convention.
The awards ceremony highlighted achievements of 11 cities out of 130 NCAP cities that demonstrated exceptional commitment and innovation in improving air quality. Indore topped the Category-1 cities (population over 10 lakh) with a perfect score of 200/200, followed by Jabalpur at 199 and Agra and Surat tied at 196. In Category-2 (population 3–10 lakh), Amravati, Jhansi, Moradabad, and Alwar were recognised, while Dewas, Parwanoo, and Angul received accolades in Category-3 (population under 3 lakh).
The Minister noted that the National Clean Air Programme, launched in 2020, has made visible improvements in PM10 levels in 103 cities, with 64 cities achieving a 20% reduction and 25 cities recording a 40% reduction compared to 2017–18 levels. Cities were praised for initiatives such as urban greening, EV adoption, road infrastructure upgrades, and waste management innovations.
Yadav also released the Ward-Level Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Guidelines to deepen citizen engagement and awareness at the local level, and a Compendium of Best Practices under NCAP to guide cities in replicating successful strategies. The Minister emphasized the use of digital tools like the PRANA portal for transparency and monitoring of air quality initiatives.
On wetlands, Indore and Udaipur received international recognition under the Ramsar Convention for exceptional efforts in conserving urban wetlands. The Minister highlighted the Government’s broader environmental vision, including the Mission Amrit Sarovar for waterbody rejuvenation, Ek Ped Maa ke Naam campaign to plant 75 crore trees, and Mission LiFE to promote sustainable lifestyles.
He reiterated that the awards ceremony reaffirmed India’s commitment to clean air, sustainable urban development, and environmental protection. Financial allocations under NCAP and other government schemes have mobilized over ₹1.55 lakh crore for clean air and green infrastructure across 130 cities.