**Executive Summary**
This report addresses financial lapses within the Ministry of Earth Sciences as highlighted by CAG Report No. 29 of 2025. It focuses on the non-recovery of ₹7.28 crore in meteorological charges by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and ₹1.58 crore in penalties paid by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) for building occupancy violations. The document, submitted to the Lok Sabha on 25 March 2026, details recovery statistics through the 2024-25 financial year and confirms the regularization of INCOIS facilities.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Findings**
* Report No. 29 of 2025 identified financial lapses involving the non-recovery of statutory levies and unnecessary penalty expenditures.
* Two primary institutions cited for lapses are the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS).
**India Meteorological Department (IMD) Financials**
* An amount of ₹7.28 crore in aviation meteorological charges and statutory levies was outstanding from two private airport operators.
* Various other private and State Government airports have also failed to pay required meteorological charges.
* For Airport Authority of India (AAI) airports, recovery has remained largely consistent with dues, with ₹71.78 crore recovered against ₹72.99 crore due in 2024-25.
* For Greenfield Private and State Government airports, recovery efforts improved significantly in 2024-25, with ₹19.40 crore recovered against annual dues of ₹12.65 crore.
**INCOIS Regulatory Compliance**
* INCOIS paid a total penalty of ₹1.58 crore to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) between 2014-15 and 2021-22.
* The penalties were incurred for occupying buildings without mandatory Occupancy Certificates due to "protracted statutory processing."
* As of the report date, the INCOIS campus has been fully regularized and all required approvals have been obtained from the GHMC.
**Impact Analysis**
**India Meteorological Department (IMD)**
**Impact**
The department experienced a deficit in revenue due to the failure to collect statutory charges and aviation levies from private and state operators.
**Action Required**
The IMD must continue its recovery efforts to collect outstanding arrears from private and State Government airport operators.
**Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)**
**Impact**
The institution suffered a financial loss of ₹1.58 crore in avoidable penalties because of building occupancy prior to obtaining certificates.
**Action Required**
The organization must ensure that all future infrastructure projects receive mandatory approvals and certificates before occupancy to avoid further penalties.
**Private and State Government Airport Operators**
**Impact**
These entities were identified as being in default regarding the payment of mandatory meteorological service charges.
**Action Required**
Impacted operators are required to clear outstanding dues and statutory levies owed to the IMD.
Key Entities Referenced
Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India: The supreme audit institution whose report (No. 29 of 2025) identified financial lapses and non-recoveries within institutions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Ministry of Earth Sciences: The parent ministry responsible for overseeing the India Meteorological Department and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services.
India Meteorological Department (IMD): An institution under the Ministry of Earth Sciences that faced financial lapses regarding the non-recovery of aviation meteorological charges and statutory levies.
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS): An autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences that incurred penalties for occupying buildings without mandatory occupancy certificates.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC): The local regulatory authority that imposed penalties on INCOIS for building occupancy violations and eventually regularized the campus.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: FINANCIAL LAPSES
IN INSTITUTIONS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF
EARTH SCIENCES
Posted On: 25 MAR 2026 12:47PM by PIB Delhi
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;
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.
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
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 71.78Recovery/Dues for Greenfield Private/State Government Airports
Financial Year Amount Due to IMD (₹ Amount recovered by IMD (₹ crore)
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
The details of penalties incurred by INCOIS and the amount paid during the last five years are as follows:
Financial year Amount of Penalty (₹ Reasons
crore)
2021-22 0.236 While the Occupancy Certificates were not obtained
at the time of occupation due to protracted statutory
2022-23 0.000 processing by the GHMC, the campus has since been
fully regularised with all approvals now in place.
2023-24 0.000
2024-25 0.000
2025-26 0.000
This information was submitted by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) For Earth
Sciences and Science & Technology , Dr. Jitendra Singh in Lok Sabha on 25 March 2026.
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