BMC cuts air pollution budget by Rs 11 crore despite overall climate funding boost
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday announced its annual climate budget for the financial year 2026-27, revealing a significant overall funding increase to Rs 20,730 crore, even as the allocation for tackling air pollution in areas including Andheri was reduced by more than Rs 11 crore compared to the previous year.
This year's climate budget allocation represents 43 per cent of the civic body's total capital expenditure (Capex). This is an increase from the Rs 16,321 crore, or 37 per cent of Capex, allocated in the previous financial year.
This is the third consecutive year that the BMC has presented a dedicated climate budget. In the 2024-25 financial year, the civic body had allocated Rs 10,224 crore, which accounted for 32 per cent of its overall Capex.
Despite the overall increase in climate-related spending, the specific fund for air pollution management has shrunk. The BMC allocated Rs 90.85 crore for tackling air pollution this year, which constitutes 0.44 per cent of the total capital expenditure. In the previous financial year, the civic body had set aside Rs 102 crore for air quality management, representing a drop of over Rs 11 crore.
The largest portion of this year's climate budget is directed toward water resource management and urban flood mitigation. This sector received Rs 18,080 crore, which is 87.21 per cent of the total climate budget.
The BMC stated that the prominence of the urban flooding and water resource management sector aligns with its core urban service delivery mandate. This mandate includes water supply, sanitation, sewage and wastewater management, and stormwater management.
The remaining allocations in the climate budget include Rs 1,369 crore for urban greening, Rs 968.15 crore for sustainable waste management, and Rs 156.67 crore for transitioning existing buildings to clean energy. Additionally, the document states that Rs 65 crore will be spent on integrated mobility.
Earlier in February, the BMC announced an overall annual budget of Rs 80,952 crore for the 2026-27 financial year. Out of this total budget, Rs 48,164 crore, or 59.49 per cent, was earmarked as capital expenditure.
