Source: PIB
Context:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) organised the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Awards 2025 & Wetland Cities Recognition Ceremony to honour the best-performing cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and recognise cities safeguarding wetlands.
About Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan (SVS) 2025
- Conducted in 130 NCAP cities to promote competition for improving air quality.
- Structured as a multi-tier evaluation mechanism based on due diligence.
- Awards given in three population categories.
Winners:
- Category 1 (population >10 lakh):
- 1st – Indore (₹1.5 crore prize, Guinness record tree plantation, EV public transport).
- 2nd – Jabalpur (₹1 crore, 11 MW waste-to-energy plant).
- 3rd – Agra & Surat (₹25 lakh each; Agra – legacy waste remediation, Surat – EV policy & 38% green cover).
- Category 2 (population 3–10 lakh):
- 1st – Amravati (₹75 lakh, 340 km road infrastructure, urban forests).
- 2nd – Jhansi & Moradabad (₹25 lakh each; greening & C&D waste management).
- 3rd – Alwar (₹25 lakh, legacy waste remediation).
- Category 3 (population <3 lakh):
- 1st – Dewas (₹37.5 lakh, industries shifted to cleaner fuels).
- 2nd – Parwanoo (₹25 lakh, road infrastructure).
- 3rd – Angul (₹12.5 lakh, public outreach & C&D waste management).
National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
- Launched: 15 August 2020 with target cities.
- Funding:
- â‚ą20,130 crore allocated to 130 cities.
- â‚ą13,237 crore performance-linked grants released.
- Total mobilization of â‚ą1.55 lakh crore (Centre, states, local bodies).
- Achievements:
- 103 cities improved PM10 levels.
- 64 cities achieved 20% reduction in PM10 levels (2017–25).
- 25 cities achieved 40% reduction by 2025.
- Initiatives:
- Circular economy approach (recycle & reuse).
- PRANA portal for monitoring progress.
- Ward-level Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan guidelines released.
- Compendium of best practices launched.
Wetland Cities Recognition
- Ramsar Wetland City Accreditation scheme recognises exceptional urban wetland management.
- 2025 Recognition: Indore and Udaipur were certified as Wetland Cities by Ramsar Convention.
- India now has 91 Ramsar sites covering 1.36 million hectares (highest in Asia, 3rd globally).
- Linked to Mission Amrit Sarovar and Mission LiFE to rejuvenate water bodies and promote sustainable living.
