Union Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) aiming to reduce toxic particulate matter by 2024 taking 2017 as the base year. With 2019 as its first year the NCAP is a mid-term five-year action plan that includes collaborative multi-scale and cross-sectoral coordination between relevant Central ministries state governments and local bodies. Secretary to the Environment Ministry C.K. Mishra told media that the programme may be further extended after reviewing mid-term results. International experience and national studies indicate that significant outcome in terms of air pollution initiatives are