Lok Sabha Question No. 2017 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-31
Subject: Reduction in Budget Allocation
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Smt. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2017

(To be answered on the 31 st  July 2025)

## REDUCTION IN BUDGET ALLOCATION

## 2017. SMT KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI

## Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the budget allocation for the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been reduced by nearly 10 per cent to Rupees 2,400.31 crore for the Financial Year 2025 and that funding for the UDAN regional connectivity scheme has been slashed to Rupees 540 crore and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is also aware that approximately 48 per cent of posts in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and 37 per cent in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) remain vacant, raising serious concerns over regulatory oversight, safety audits and enforcement of aviation norms and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the reasons for continued budgetary cuts and understaffing in safetycritical agencies despite recent aeroplane accidents and near-miss incidents across the airports of the country; and
- (d) the steps being taken to strengthen institutional capacity, fill critical vacancies and ensure that safety and regulatory integrity in the civil aviation sector are not compromised?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a)  The  Budget Estimates for FY 2025-26 (Rs. 2,400.31 crore) shows a decrease of approximately 10% over the Revised Estimates of 2024 25 (Rs. 2,658.68 crore). However, it still reflects an increase over the previous year's Budget Estimates of Rs. 2,357.14 crore.

The  Budget  Estimates  for  2025-26  (Rs.  540.00  crore)  under  Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN shows a decrease from the previous year's Revised Estimates of Rs. 800.00 crore. However, it still reflects an increase over the previous year's Budget Estimates of Rs. 502.00 crore.

(b) to (d) Out of the total 1644 sanctioned posts of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), 823 posts (50.06%) are vacant. For Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), out of the total of 598 sanctioned posts, 230 posts (38.46%) are vacant. The Budgetary allocation for safety critical agencies namely DGCA and BCAS of MoCA has been increased in the current Financial Year 2025-26 from the past FY 2024-25. Hence, there is no budgetary cut for safety critical agencies of MoCA. 441 posts including 426 technical posts in DGCA have been created between 2022 and 2024. All methods of recruitment are pursued vigorously in order to ensure timely and continuous availability of requisite manpower at DGCA to meet requirements in the interregnum due to vacancies arising, efforts are also made to recruit persons through short term contractual hiring. BCAS is a deputation-based organisation wherein personnel are recruited on deputation basis from various security organisations. Since, filling up of posts on deputation basis is a dynamic process and as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen operational capacity, BCAS periodically circulates vacancy circulars for filling  up  of  posts  on  deputation  basis.

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