Only 43% of Rs 300 crore pollution Budget spent so far: RTI reply
Delhi has utilised only 43 per cent of the funds of Rs 300 crore allocated under Pollution Control and Emergency Measures in the Budget for 2025-26.
In response to a Right to Information (RTI) application, the Delhi Government’s environment department has said that Rs 129.83 crore has been spent under Pollution Control and Emergency Measures during the period.
The expenditure was largely on short-term air pollution mitigation measures carried out with funds disbursed to the Public Works Department by the Environment Department. According to the response, Rs 23.37 crore was spent on the installation of mist spray systems on electric poles and central verges along road stretches in Delhi.
Around Rs 58.83 crore was used for hiring 200 truck-mounted anti-smog guns, and Rs 47.12 crore was spent on another batch of 200 truck-mounted anti-smog guns hired in 2024-25. Additionally, the environment department was allotted Rs 506 crore for FY 2025-26.
Out of the total allocation of about Rs 473.02 crore across schemes, Rs 152.59 crore had been utilised till January 20, 2026.
The RTI also showed zero expenditure till January 20 under several major allocations. These included Rs 70 crore allocated to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee for remediation of environmental damage caused by illegal extraction of groundwater, and Rs 64.40 crore allocated to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for engagement of mechanical road sweeping machines, water sprinklers and anti-smog guns.
Allocations worth Rs 1.75 crore for real-time pollution source apportionment studies, Rs 1 crore for the e-waste eco park project, and Rs 1 lakh each allocated for technical setup in the environment department, sewage treatment plants and smog towers also remained completely unutilised.
Scheme-wise details in the RTI response showed that Rs 5.91 crore was utilised out of Rs 9.34 crore allocated to the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Climate Change and Communication.
A cloud seeding pilot project with IIT Kanpur saw expenditure of Rs 38 lakh out of Rs 3.80 crore allocated. Delhi Parks and Garden Societies utilised Rs 14.18 crore out of Rs 20 crore, while eco-clubs in schools and colleges spent Rs 80 lakh of the Rs 2-crore allocation.
For environment data generation, survey and research activities, Rs 97.92 lakh was utilised out of Rs 1.80 crore, while public environmental awareness and publicity activities recorded Rs 4.24 lakh expenditure out of Rs 2 crore allocated. Pollution control and hazard management saw utilisation of Rs 1.88 lakh out of Rs 10 lakh.
Water bodies and wetlands recorded Rs 25 lakh expenditure against an allocation of Rs 10 lakh. Carbon credit facilities related to climate change initiatives saw utilisation of Rs 19.75 lakh out of Rs 50 lakh allocated.
On air pollution mitigation, the RTI reply stated that the environment department coordinates with multiple agencies, including urban local bodies, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Delhi Jal Board, Central Public Works Department, National Highways Authority of India, National Capital Region Transport Corporation, besides other departments of the Delhi Government. It added that regular senior-level review meetings are held, and an implementation committee for control of air pollution has been constituted to review actions taken.
