BMC Cuts Air Pollution Budget by Rs 11 Crore for 2026-27

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) unveiled its annual climate budget for the financial year 2026-27 on Thursday, emphasizing environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation through initiatives such as urban greening, water resource management, and clean energy adoption.

This year, the BMC has allocated Rs 20,730 crore towards climate-related initiatives, comprising 43% of its total capital expenditure (Capex). This marks an increase from last year’s allocation of Rs 16,321 crore, which represented 37% of the Capex. Notably, this is the third consecutive year that the civic body has presented a dedicated climate budget.

However, the allocation for air pollution management has decreased compared to the previous financial year. In FY 2026-27, Rs 90.85 crore has been earmarked for air quality initiatives, accounting for 0.44% of the total Capex. This is Rs 11 crore less than last year’s allocation of Rs 102 crore, which constituted 0.60% of the climate budget.

The largest share of this year’s climate budget — Rs 18,080 crore, or 87.21% — has been directed towards water resource management and urban flood mitigation. Other allocations include Rs 1,369 crore for urban greening, Rs 968.15 crore for sustainable waste management, Rs 156.67 crore for transitioning existing buildings to clean energy, and Rs 65 crore for integrated mobility.

The document highlights that the prominence of water resource management aligns with the BMC’s core urban service delivery mandate, which encompasses water supply, sanitation, sewage and wastewater management, and stormwater management.

Additionally, the budget outlines six key action tracks: building flood-resilient infrastructure, promoting localized water conservation and efficiency, reducing pollution, ensuring affordable drinking water, providing access to clean and safe toilets, and mitigating disaster risks.

Despite the focus on climate initiatives, the BMC acknowledged that sectors such as energy transition and grid decarbonisation largely fall outside its jurisdiction, limiting its scope for intervention in these areas under the current governance structure.