The Union Environment Minister conducted a comprehensive review of the coordinated air pollution mitigation efforts of the NCR states.

Central Environment Minister, Mr. Bhupendra Yadav, recently reviewed in a high‑level meeting the coordinated efforts underway to tackle air pollution, together with environmental officials, municipal corporation representatives and experts from the four major states of the National Capital Region (NCR)—Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The meeting discussed the effectiveness of key measures implemented over the past two years such as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), solid waste management, industrial emission control, and the expansion of electric vehicles (EV) in public transport. The minister said that while some areas have seen improvement in PM2.5 levels, many cities continue to experience a marked increase in pollution intensity during the winter months, raising health risks.

Based on the review, the Environment Minister issued three major directives: first, to expand the real‑time air quality monitoring network across all NCR states to ensure data transparency; second, to increase financial incentives for adopting clean technologies in industrial zones and to take strict action against irregular emissions; and third, to establish stringent standards for controlling dust and smoke from construction activities and power plants and to strengthen public awareness campaigns. A joint task force has been formed between the central and state governments to implement these measures, with the goal of bringing the annual average PM2.5 level in the National Capital Region in line with international standards within the next two years.

At the close of the meeting, the minister said that improving air quality is a multi‑layered challenge that requires continuous monitoring, scientific research and public cooperation. He urged all states to accelerate the implementation of their respective action plans and provide regular reports to the central government so that timely policy adjustments can be made. The initiative aims not only to reduce the health impacts of pollution but also to steer India toward sustainable urban development.