Resource detail

The government plans to shut down old, polluting power plants, and encourage states to draw up plans to combat air contamination with the help of an allocation of Rs 4,400 crore in this year’s budget, finance minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman said. Many cities led by Delhi and Gurgaon are regularly listed among the world’s most polluted, with air quality frequently deteriorating to alarmingly hazardous levels, which have triggered a public outcry. The FM said the government encourages states that have formulated and implemented plans to ensure cleaner air and will provide incentives to them.