New Delhi: In a bid to combat the persistent air pollution crisis, the Delhi government has launched a groundbreaking Clean Air Innovation Challenge, offering cash rewards of up to ₹50 lakh for practical, affordable technologies that can significantly reduce particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10 across the city. The initiative, unveiled on Friday, invites entries from individuals, startups, research institutions, and companies nationwide, targeting deployable solutions that work in real-world conditions at pollution-heavy sites such as roads, construction zones, and industrial areas.
Led by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the challenge seeks innovations ranging from dust-trapping road coatings to vehicle exhaust-capture systems that can function in Delhi’s extreme weather. Announcing the initiative, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa emphasized the government’s openness to any solution that shows a measurable impact on the ground. “Bring us what works on the road or at construction and industrial sites. If it cuts PM2.5 or PM10 substantially, installs easily, and stays affordable, we’ll back it,” he said.
The competition will follow a three-phase evaluation process: initial screening by DPCC, followed by field or laboratory trials, and final validation by national research labs, including the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Projects that pass the second phase will receive ₹5 lakh each, while those successfully recommended after final testing will be awarded ₹50 lakh and considered for full-scale implementation across Delhi.
Sirsa noted that Delhi has recently recorded the highest number of clean-air days in a decade, but stressed that consistent improvement requires more than enforcement. “This is a 24×7 innovation mission,” he said, underlining the city’s commitment to fast-tracking scalable solutions. “If a solution can cut particulate matter, fit the city’s budget, and install with ease, we’ll take it from trial to citywide use. That’s how prototypes become public goods quickly, and where people need relief the most.”
Applications for the Clean Air Innovation Challenge are open until October 31, 2025, through the official DPCC website: www.dpcc.delhigovt.nic.in.
