Lok Sabha Question No. 5332 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-25
Subject: Financial Lapses in Institutions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Thiru Dr. S Jagathratchakan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5332

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 25 TH  MARCH, 2026

## FINANCIAL LAPSES IN INSTITUTIONS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## 5332.   THIRU DR. S JAGATHRATCHAKAN:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that financial lapses has been highlighted by Report No. 29 of 2025 of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India including non-recovery of Rs.7.28 crore  in  meteorological  charges  and  statutory  levies  by  the  India  Meteorological Department  (IMD)  from  private  airport  operators  and  penalties  of  Rs.1.58  crore incurred by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)  for occupying buildings without mandatory approvals and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the amount due to IMD and amount recovered during the last five years, year-wise; and
- (c) the details of penalties incurred by INCOIS and the amount paid towards payment of penalties during the last five years, year-wise along with the reasons for these financial lapses?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) Yes.  An  amount  of  ₹7.28  crore  towards  aviation  meteorological  charges/statutory levies  was  outstanding  to  the  India  Meteorological  Department  (IMD),  against  two private airport operators. However, there are some other private and State Government airports that have not paid the meteorological charges to the IMD, as indicated in the tables at (b).

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) paid ₹1.58 crore during 2014-15 to 2021-22 to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) as a penalty for occupying buildings without the required mandatory approvals. While the  Occupancy  Certificates  were  not  obtained  at  the  time  of  occupation  due  to protracted  statutory  processing  by  the  GHMC,  the  campus  has  been  now  fully regularised and obtained all required approvals from the GHMC.

- (b) The details of the amount due to IMD and the amount recovered during the last five years, as follows:

| Recovery/Dues for Airport Authority of India (AAI)- Airports   | Recovery/Dues for Airport Authority of India (AAI)- Airports   | Recovery/Dues for Airport Authority of India (AAI)- Airports   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
| Financial Year                                                 | Amount due to IMD (₹ crore)                                    | Amount recovered by IMD (₹ crore)                              |
| 2020-21                                                        | 61.26                                                          | 61.26                                                          |
| 2021-22                                                        | 60.35                                                          | 60.35                                                          |
| 2022-23                                                        | 70.84                                                          | 90.94                                                          |
| 2023-24                                                        | 66.30                                                          | 65.73                                                          |
| 2024-25                                                        | 72.99                                                          | 71.78                                                          |

| Recovery/Dues for Greenfield Private/State Government Airports   | Recovery/Dues for Greenfield Private/State Government Airports   | Recovery/Dues for Greenfield Private/State Government Airports   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Financial Year                                                   | Amount Due to IMD (₹ crore)                                      | Amount recovered by IMD (₹ crore)                                |
| 2020-21                                                          | 6.05                                                             | 3.01                                                             |
| 2021-22                                                          | 7.55                                                             | 1.86                                                             |
| 2022-23                                                          | 9.49                                                             | 2.56                                                             |
| 2023-24                                                          | 12.21                                                            | 6.26                                                             |
| 2024-25                                                          | 12.65                                                            | 19.40                                                            |

(c) The details of penalties incurred by INCOIS and the amount paid during the last five years are as follows:

| Financial year   |   Amount of Penalty (₹ crore) | Reasons                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|------------------|-------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2021-22          |                         0.236 | While the Occupancy Certificates were not obtained at the time of occupation due to protracted statutory processing by the GHMC, the campus has since been fully regularised with all approvals now in place. |
| 2022-23          |                         0     | While the Occupancy Certificates were not obtained at the time of occupation due to protracted statutory processing by the GHMC, the campus has since been fully regularised with all approvals now in place. |
| 2023-24          |                         0     | While the Occupancy Certificates were not obtained at the time of occupation due to protracted statutory processing by the GHMC, the campus has since been fully regularised with all approvals now in place. |
| 2024-25          |                         0     | While the Occupancy Certificates were not obtained at the time of occupation due to protracted statutory processing by the GHMC, the campus has since been fully regularised with all approvals now in place. |
| 2025-26          |                         0     | While the Occupancy Certificates were not obtained at the time of occupation due to protracted statutory processing by the GHMC, the campus has since been fully regularised with all approvals now in place. |

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