Pollution Crisis Worsens as Funds Lie Idle
A parliamentary panel recently revealed a shocking statistic: less than 1% of the Rs 858 crore allocated to the environment ministry for pollution control has been utilized, even as India faces a “very grim” air pollution scenario. This discovery comes at the end of the 2024-25 financial year, raising serious concerns about the government’s commitment to addressing the worsening environmental crisis.
Parliamentary Committee Expresses Shock
“The committee was surprised to observe that out of the 2024-25 allocation of Rs 858 crore (revised estimate) for ‘Control of Pollution’, only an amount of Rs 7.22 crore was spent up to January 31,” stated the parliamentary standing committee on science & technology, environment, forests and climate change in its report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday.
The panel, headed by BJP Rajya Sabha member Bhubaneswar Kalita, questioned the ministry’s explanation and asked officials to “introspect and take a serious note of the reasons for this gross underutilization” of funds.
Ministry Cites Approval Delays
The environment ministry attributed the low spending to pending approvals, explaining that “utilization of majority of the funds in the scheme for the financial year 2024-25 could not be made till now as the approval for the continuation of the ‘Control of Pollution’ scheme till FY 2025-26 is awaited.”
Ministry officials further assured the committee that “planning for disbursement and utilization of the funds are already in place and will be executed as soon as approval is received.”
Bureaucratic Bottlenecks Amid Health Crisis
The committee expressed shock that such a significant amount—more than 27% of the ministry’s annual allocation—remained unused while awaiting scheme approval “even at the fag end of the financial year.”
This bureaucratic delay is particularly concerning given the scheme’s crucial objectives: monitoring air quality across India, implementing appropriate pollution mitigation measures, and tracking water quality and noise levels throughout the country.
Nationwide Air Quality Deterioration
While highlighting that Delhi often makes headlines for its “ever-deteriorating air quality,” the panel emphasized that other Indian cities are “not far behind and are experiencing high ‘air quality index’ (AQI) levels” as well.
The report underscored the severe consequences of this inaction: “The rising environmental pollution in the country not only results in a number of pollution-related human diseases and health conditions but negatively impacts our ecology too.”
Urgent Action Needed
The parliamentary committee’s findings reveal a disconnect between India’s environmental challenges and bureaucratic processes. With less than Rs 8 crore spent from an allocation of Rs 858 crore, serious questions arise about the effectiveness of pollution control mechanisms at a time when air quality continues to deteriorate nationwide.
This report serves as a wake-up call for environmental governance in India, highlighting the need for streamlined approvals and more efficient utilization of allocated resources to combat the growing pollution crisis that affects both public health and ecological systems across the country.
