Jammu Kashmir Receives Over Rs 860 Crore for Climate Action as India Advances National Goals

SRINAGAR: To address climate change and environmental degradation, Jammu and Kashmir has received a cumulative allocation of over Rs 860 crore in the past three years under India’s flagship climate and afforestation schemes. The figures were revealed in the Rajya Sabha as part of the Government of India’s latest update on the country’s progress under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir had been allotted Rs 312.69 crore in 2022–23, Rs 370.55 crore in 2023–24, and Rs 180.18 crore in 2024–25 under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). The funds are aimed at ensuring ecological balance through reforestation and forest conservation measures in areas impacted by development.

Beyond afforestation, Jammu and Kashmir has also made gains in air quality. According to the Ministry, Srinagar is among only 25 cities in India to have recorded a more than 40% reduction in PM10 levels in 2024–25 compared to baseline data from 2017–18. Jammu city too showed measurable improvement, featuring among 39 cities with a 20–40% drop in particulate matter. These improvements have come under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), India’s primary urban air quality initiative launched in 2019.

Nationally, the government reported that 103 of 131 identified cities under NCAP saw an improvement in air quality in 2024–25. Performance-linked grants amounting to Rs 13,036 crore were allocated under the 15th Finance Commission for air quality management, enabling local interventions through city-specific plans. Cities showing the greatest improvement in PM10 were eligible for priority funding.

The Ministry underscored that the NAPCC continues to be implemented through eight dedicated national missions, with further support provided through state action plans and sector-specific schemes. While there is no separate central budget line for NAPCC, its goals are being mainstreamed into departmental programmes in areas such as renewable energy, urban planning, water conservation, and agriculture.

On trans-Himalayan ecology, which includes Jammu and Kashmir, the government acknowledged the heightened vulnerability of the region to climate change, noting that high-altitude zones demand specific attention under national mitigation and adaptation strategies. The CAMPA allocations in Jammu and Kashmir are thus also intended to serve as a buffer against long-term climate stress.

At a time when international scrutiny of climate pledges continues to intensify, India’s internal data shows a gradual but measurable response to its own commitments. The central government stressed that while much remains to be done, recent progress in regions like Jammu and Kashmir demonstrates that targeted funding and convergence of schemes can yield real environmental dividends.