How Are Cities Ranked in Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan? Know the Selection Criteria

The Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan is an annual assessment done by the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to evaluate the efforts of Indian cities to reduce air pollution. It assesses the actions taken by cities to control major sources of air pollution The 2026 assessment covered 130 NCAP cities. Keep reading to know in detail.

What Is Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan?

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan is an annual clean air assessment conducted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). It was launched in 2022–23. The survey is conducted nder the National Clean Air Programme. Its objective is to encourage cities to take effective measures to reduce air pollution.

How Many Cities Are Included in Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan?

The 2026 Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan covered 130 cities. These cities are part of the National Clean Air Programme.The assessment is made to encourage healthy competition among cities.

How Are Cities Divided for Ranking?

The cities are divided into three population-based categories.

What Criteria Are Used to Rank Cities?

Cities are assessed on the steps taken to control air pollution, rather than simply on their recorded AQI. Important areas include Road dust management, construction and demolition waste management, solid waste management, control of vehicular emissions, control of industrial pollution, implementation of City-specific Clean Air Action Plans and other measures designed to reduce major sources of air pollution.

Who Checks the Performance of Cities?

The 2026 assessment involved multiple levels of verification. The process included:

1. Self-assessment by cities
2. Approval by State-level Monitoring Committees
3. Evaluation by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
4. Field verification by independent committees
5. Final selection of the best-performing cities

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan: Which is the Top City in 2026?

Lucknow topped the category for cities with more than 10 lakh population. It scored 198 out of 200 points. Indore secured second position. Jabalpur ranked third. Lucknow’s ranking reflected its implementation of several pollution control measures rather than its AQI alone.

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026