The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) conferred the 5th Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Awards 2026 on September 7, 2026. Organised on Swachh Vayu Diwas, marking the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, the survey assesses cities covered under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) based on pollution-control initiatives, solid waste management, and the effectiveness of implementation, rather than air quality levels alone. The cities have been divided in 3 categories for this purpose:

  1. Cities with population more than 10 lakh
  2. Cities with population between 3-10 lakh
  3. Cities with population less than 3 lakh

City Ranks Along with Scores under Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026

Category 1: Cities with Population Above 10 Lakh

Sl. No.City/TownFinal ScoreRank
1Lucknow1981
2Indore1972
3Jabalpur1953
4Bhopal1924
5Agra1924
6Surat1915

Bottom 5

Sl. No.City/TownFinal ScoreRank
44Chennai147.735
45Jamshedpur147.336
46Kota146.337
47Kolkata142.238
48Madurai132.139

Category 2: Cities with Population Between 3-10 Lakh

Sl. No.City/TownFinal ScoreRank
1Rourkela198.51
2Firozabad1952

Category 3: Cities with Population Less than 3 Lakh

Sl. No.City/TownScore by CPCBRank
1Kalinga Nagar198.51
2Angul196.52

About Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan

Lucknow topped the million-plus population category in the 5th Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026, announced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on Swachh Vayu Diwas, September 7, 2026.

FeatureDetails
Launched byMinistry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
First edition2022
PurposeTo rank cities based on their implementation of air pollution mitigation measures
Part ofNational Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
FrequencyAnnual
Categories
  1. Million-plus cities
  2. Cities with 3-10 lakh population
  3. Cities with less than 3 lakh population

How Good is Lucknow's Air Quality?

Though Lucknow won the first position, it did not achieve the PM 10 National Annual Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of 60 micrograms per cubic metre. This target has been set as per the National Clean Air Program (NCAP). Lucknow's PM 10 concentration: 137 micrograms per cubic metre. It has reduced from 250 micrograms per cubic metre in 2017-18.

What is NCAP?

  • The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in January 2019.
  • Aim: To improve air quality in 131 cities (non-attainment cities and Million Plus Cities) in 24 States/UTs by engaging all stakeholders.
  • The programme envisages achieving reductions up to 40% or achievement of National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter10 (PM 10) concentrations by 2025-26, with 2017 as the base year.

Conclusion

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 results under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The survey ranks cities based on their efforts to reduce air pollution. Lucknow ranked first among cities with more than 10 lakh population, followed by Indore and Jabalpur. Rourkela and Kalinga Nagar topped the 2nd category. This survey encourages cities to take practical steps to improve air quality and promotes healthy competition among urban local bodies. It also helps identify gaps in existing pollution control measures and guides cities towards better implementation of clear-air action plans.