Surat has been recognized as the top city in India for air quality improvements in the Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024, followed by Jabalpur and Agra, reflecting significant strides under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The Union Environment Ministry awarded these cities during a national workshop in Jaipur, celebrating the 'International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies'. Although 95 out of 131 cities showed reductions in PM10 levels, only 18 met the national standards for clean air. The awards also recognized smaller cities, with Firozabad, Amravati, and Jhansi leading in the 3-10 lakh population category, and Raebareli, Nalgonda, and Nalagarh in the under 3 lakh category. Despite progress, some experts criticize the NCAP for focusing too much on road dust mitigation and not enough on combustion sources. The NCAP aims to achieve a 40% reduction in particulate pollution by 2026, using 2019-20 as the base year.