New Delhi, Feb. 1 -- Anuradha Thakur, Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, on Sunday said that pollution remains a key focus for the Union government, with significant budgetary provisions allocated to tackle air and water contamination.

"Pollution is a priority for the government. We are working with many state governments on projects related to air and water pollution. There is a significant budgetary outlay on sewage control as well as drainage," Thakur said.

She added, "A large portion of the finance commission grants to the local bodies, urban and rural, is tied to water and sanitation, particularly, I would say, sanitation. So pollution of all kinds remains our top priority, and there are different ways in which we are...