Only 43% of ₹300 crore Delhi pollution budget utilised so far: RTI reply

Around 43 per cent of ₹300 crore allocated under Pollution Control and Emergency Measures in the Delhi budget for 2025-26 has been utilised till January 20, 2026, according to an RTI reply.

In response to an Right to Information (RTI) application filed by PTI, the environment department of Delhi government stated that ₹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 with funds disbursed to the Public Works Department by the environment department.

According to the response, ₹23.37 crore was spent on installation of mist spray systems on electric poles and central verges along road stretches in Delhi.

 

Around ₹58.83 crore was used for hiring 200 truck-mounted anti-smog guns, and ₹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 ₹506 crore for FY 2025-26.

Out of the total allocation of about ₹473.02 crore across schemes, ₹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 ₹70 crore allocated to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee for remediation of environmental damage caused by illegal extraction of groundwater, and ₹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 ₹1.75 crore for real-time pollution source apportionment studies, ₹1 crore for the e-waste eco park project, and ₹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 ₹5.91 crore was utilised out of ₹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 ₹38 lakh out of ₹3.80 crore allocated.

Delhi Parks and Garden Societies utilised ₹14.18 crore out of ₹20 crore, while eco-clubs in schools and colleges spent ₹80 lakh of the ₹2-crore allocation.

For environment data generation, survey and research activities, ₹97.92 lakh was utilised out of ₹1.80 crore, while public environmental awareness and publicity activities recorded ₹4.24 lakh expenditure out of ₹2 crore allocated.

Pollution control and hazard management saw utilisation of ₹1.88 lakh out of ₹10 lakh.

Water bodies and wetlands recorded ₹25 lakh expenditure against an allocation of ₹10 lakh.

Carbon credit facilities related to climate change initiatives saw utilisation of ₹19.75 lakh out of ₹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.