The Congress party has criticized the government's response to air pollution as "exceedingly ineffective," labeling the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as "Notional." Citing a CREA report, they state nearly 44% of Indian cities face chronic air pollution, exceeding national PM2.5 standards. The party highlights that only 130 cities are covered by NCAP, with many lacking monitoring stations, and demands a complete overhaul and increased funding for the program.