Odisha earmarks Rs 150 cr for clean air in 12 cities

The Odisha government has rolled out its State Clean Air Programme (SCAP) with an investment plan of Rs 150 crore aimed at reducing urban air pollution levels by at least 40% within the next five years.

The announcement came during the 10th meeting of the State-Level Air Quality Monitoring Committee (AQMC) held. The SCAP, launched by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on June 5, seeks to cover urban centres excluded from the Centre’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

In its initial phase, the scheme will target 12 cities — Sambalpur, Berhampur, Puri, Paradip, Keonjhar, Joda, Barbil, Bonai, Rajgangpur, Jharsuguda, Brajarajnagar and Belpahar.

The programme will focus on bringing down particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) levels by implementing city-specific action plans, tackling road dust, strengthening solid waste management, and curbing industrial and vehicular emissions.

Implementation will be spearheaded by the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, using air-quality data gathered over the past five years. Officials said a funding proposal has already been forwarded to the Finance Department and is awaiting approval.

Odisha is already executing the NCAP in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Angul, Talcher, Kalinga Nagar and Balasore. Progress has been mixed, with some cities showing improvements while others registered deteriorating air quality.

Between 2019-20 and 2024-25, air quality data revealed that Cuttack reduced PM10 levels by 29%, followed by Angul (28%) and Balasore (26%). However, Kalinga Nagar saw a 13% rise, Talcher recorded a 12% increase, and Rourkela posted a 2.7% uptick.

As per reports, the officials emphasized during the AQMC meeting regarding urgent interventions for low-performing cities. Key measures under consideration include deploying mechanical road sweepers, upgrading waste management systems, and enforcing stricter controls on industrial emissions.

With SCAP, Odisha aims to create a cleaner, healthier urban environment while complementing national efforts to tackle air pollution.