Achieving India’s air pollution reduction targets could deliver major health benefits for women, according to experts. A new analysis shows that meeting the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) goal of a 30 percent reduction in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) could significantly cut the prevalence of chronic and respiratory diseases.
The study, using the Health Benefit Assessment Dashboard developed by IIT Delhi and Climate Trends, draws on data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) covering 641 districts. It estimates that disease prevalence among women of reproductive age could fall from 4.87 percent to around 3.09 percent if air quality improves. Conditions like hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), anaemia, and diabetes would see marked reductions. For instance, diabetes prevalence among women aged 15–49 could drop from 1.7 percent to 1.4 percent.
The health benefits would be most visible in heavily polluted regions, particularly the Indo-Gangetic Plain and eastern states. In these areas, cleaner air could help reduce respiratory infections, low birth weight cases, and anaemia among children, easing a significant health burden.
At the release of the findings, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, underlined the importance of tackling indoor air pollution as well. Despite government schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, which promote clean cooking fuel, many households still depend on biomass, leaving women and children exposed to dangerous pollutants.
Aarti Khosla, Director of Climate Trends, noted that air quality needs to be framed as a public health issue, not just a climate or environmental concern. She emphasized that better air translates into better health outcomes, and this connection must remain central to policymaking.
Launched in 2019, the NCAP set a target to reduce particulate pollution by 20–30 percent by 2024–25, using 2017 levels as a baseline. The new assessment highlights the urgency of achieving this goal, not only for environmental reasons but also to reduce the disease burden on millions of women and children across India.
By linking cleaner air directly to improved health outcomes, experts stress the need for stronger, integrated policies that bring together environmental action and public health priorities.