Key Points
- Environment Ministry spent only 68 per cent of ₹3,481 crore pollution control budget by January 2026
- Parliamentary panel calls for long-term plan to tackle Delhi-NCR air quality crisis
- Ministry receives 10 per cent budget increase to ₹3,759 crore for 2026-27
The Environment Ministry utilised only 68 per cent of its ₹3,481 crore budget allocation by January 2026, a parliamentary panel reported on 9 March 2026. The committee flagged chronic underspending on pollution control programmes even as Delhi-NCR recorded poor air quality for most of the October-February period.
The findings come from the 405th Report on Demands for Grants presented by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change. The committee, chaired by Rajya Sabha member Bhubaneswar Kalita, tabled its observations in both Houses of Parliament.
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For millions of residents in Delhi-NCR who breathe hazardous air for months each winter, the underutilisation raises questions about whether allocated funds are reaching ground-level implementation. The committee noted that environmental pollution poses a significant, ongoing threat to public health and environmental stability.
Pollution control funds remain unspent
The Control of Pollution scheme, which receives the largest share of the ministry’s budget, showed the weakest spending performance. Out of ₹1,300 crore allocated at the revised estimates stage for 2025-26, the ministry spent only ₹814 crore by 31 January 2026.
This pattern marks a decline from 2023-24, when the ministry managed to utilise more than 96 per cent of allocated funds. In 2024-25, utilisation dropped to 72 per cent. The current year’s 68 per cent figure represents the lowest in three years.
Three of four components under Central Sector Schemes recorded poor spending: Environmental Knowledge and Capacity Building, National Coastal Management Programme and Control of Pollution. The ministry spent ₹888 crore of its ₹1,451 crore revised allocation for these schemes.
Panel demands Delhi air quality action plan
The committee observed that air quality in Delhi-NCR remained in the poor category or worse during most of the October-February period in the current financial year. The Air Quality Index, a numerical scale that measures pollution levels, frequently crossed into hazardous territory during these months.
The panel recommended that the Environment Ministry coordinate with the Delhi government to prepare a long-term plan addressing the annual pollution crisis. The committee described the need for a sturdy plan to mitigate air pollution.
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The report stopped short of specifying what such a plan should include but emphasised that funds allocated for pollution control must be optimally utilised to achieve desired outcomes.
Budget allocation rises for 2026-27
Despite the spending concerns, the ministry received a 10 per cent increase in its budget allocation for 2026-27. The budget estimates allocate ₹3,759 crore for the coming financial year, up from ₹3,412 crore in 2025-26.
The committee recommended that the ministry make proactive efforts from the beginning of the next financial year. It called for a robust monitoring system to track both financial and physical progress of pollution control works.
The ministry informed the committee that it is taking steps to ensure full utilisation of remaining funds in 2025-26 before the financial year closes on 31 March. However, the committee expressed concern that the two-month window may prove insufficient to spend the outstanding ₹1,100 crore.
What the committee recommended
The panel made several specific recommendations in its report. First, the ministry must take all necessary steps to ensure maximum utilisation of allocated funds. Second, remedial measures and monitoring systems must be established to track spending.
Third, the ministry must coordinate with the Delhi government on a comprehensive air quality improvement plan. The committee noted that the poor air quality problem has persisted for years without resolution.
The ministry has not yet issued a formal response to the committee’s observations. The recommendations will be reviewed when the ministry presents its action taken report to Parliament in the coming months.
Your Questions, Answered
How much of its pollution budget did the Environment Ministry spend in 2025-26?
The ministry utilised only 67.87 per cent of its revised allocation of ₹3,481.61 crore by 31 January 2026, according to the parliamentary committee report.
What is the Environment Ministry’s budget for 2026-27?
The ministry received ₹3,759.46 crore in budget estimates for 2026-27, representing a 10 per cent increase over the previous year’s allocation of ₹3,412.82 crore.
What did the parliamentary panel recommend for Delhi air quality?
The committee recommended that the Environment Ministry coordinate with the Delhi government to prepare a long-term plan to address the annual air pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR.
Which pollution control scheme showed the weakest spending?
The Control of Pollution scheme spent only ₹814.26 crore of its ₹1,300 crore revised allocation by January 2026, making it the major contributor to overall underspending.
