Environmentalists have raised concerns over the Centre’s decision to reduce the budget allocation for pollution control at a time when air quality in many cities remains poor to very poor. They said the funding is inadequate to address the growing public health crisis caused by pollution.

Experts said the Union Budget’s allocation for pollution control falls short at a time when several cities, especially in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, are struggling with ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ air quality.

Environmentalists see the Budget as a missed opportunity to tackle the health emergency.

Budget 2026 cuts pollution control allocation: The timing of the cut is troubling. Delhi-NCR and neighbouring regions continue to record hazardous air quality levels, leading to school closures, health advisories, and increased respiratory illnesses.