Indore Tops Clean Air Survey Award 2025 in Million-Plus Cities

According to the Clean Air Survey 2025, the cities of Madhya Pradesh have shown remarkable improvement in air quality standards. With an exceptional score of 200 points, Indore secured the top position in the country, while Jabalpur secured the second position with 199 points.

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change organized the Clean Air Survey Award and Wetland City Accreditation Ceremony 2025 on 9 September 2025 in the presence of the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• EF&CC awarded the best-performing cities under the Clean Air Survey 2025 conducted in 130 cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
• The National Clean Air Programme was launched on 15 August 2020 with an inspiring message from the Prime Minister.

Clean Air Survey Award 2025

• Category 1 (Population >10 lakh): Indore (First place) > Jabalpur (Second place) > Third: Agra and Surat.
• Category 2 (Population 3-10 lakh): Amravati (First rank) > Jhansi and Moradabad (Second rank) > Alwar (Third rank).
• Category 3 (Population <3 lakh): Dewas (First rank) > Parwanoo (Second rank) > Angul (Third rank).

Clean Air Survey Award 2025 Ranking criteria:

• Biomass and municipal solid waste burning, road dust, dust from construction and demolition waste, vehicle emissions, industrial emissions, IEC activities, improvement in PM10 concentration, etc.

Recognition of Wetland Cities: Ramsar Recognition

• Under the Ramsar Convention’s Wetland City Accreditation Scheme, two Indian cities received global recognition.
• Indore - for exceptional urban wetland management
• Udaipur - for conservation of lakes and promotion of eco-tourism
• India now has 91 Ramsar sites, which were 25 in 2014, the highest in Asia and the third highest globally, covering an area of 1.36 million hectares.

Other facts

• Indore secured the first position with 200 out of 200 points. A cash award of 5 lakh rupees was given. 1.5 crore rupees have been provided.
• Amravati secured the first position with 200 out of 200 points. A cash award of 75 lakh rupees has been provided.
• Dewas secured the first position with 193 out of 200 points. A cash award of 37.50 lakh rupees was provided. Dewas shifted industries towards clean fuel.

About NCAP

• Origin: Launched on 15 August 2020 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Objective: To improve air quality in 131 cities of 24 states/union territories (non-attainment cities and cities with a population of more than one million) by involving all stakeholders.
• Target: To bring down the PM10 level by up to 40% by 2025-26 from the level of 2019-20 or to achieve the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (60 µg/m3).
• Implementing agency: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at the national level.
• PRANA Portal (Portal for Regulation of Air Pollution in Non-Attainment Cities): Launched to monitor the implementation of NCAP.
• During 2019-20, ₹13,237 crore has been provided as critical gap funding to 130 cities to implement air pollution reduction measures so far. Funds are being mobilized through convergence of resources from various central government schemes like Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), AMRUT, Smart City Mission, Sustainable, FAME-II and Nagar Van Yojana.

Clean Air Survey Award 2024

• Category-1 (Population of more than 10 lakh): Surat, Jabalpur and Agra.
• Category-2 (Population between 3-10 lakh): Firozabad, Amravati and Jhansi.
• Category-3 (Population less than 3 lakh): Raebareli, Nalgonda and Nalagarh.