India, Feb. 1 -- Air quality management under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has seen a nearly 10 per cent dip in outlay under the Union Budget for 2026-27, announced on February 1. Allocation to the central pollution control authority too slightly dipped by 2 per cent.

In the Budget 2026-27 documents tabled in the Lok Sabha on February 1, the ministry's overall allocation for the year stood at Rs 3,759.46 crore, up 10 per cent from the Budget Estimates (BE) for 2025-26.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a key agency under the ministry, has been allocated Rs 35.26 crore for the upcoming year, down from the Rs 38.98 crore in the BE for 2025-26. The outlay is, however, a rise from the Rs 31.26...