11 February 2026·PIB

PARLIAMENT QUESTION: STUDIES TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS

In this note

1. At a Glance

Lok Sabha Unstarred Question answered by Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) on 11 Feb 2026, listing GoI's instruments for studying extreme weather impacts [1][2].
Three institutional anchors: MoES (policy/funding), IITM-Pune/CCCR (climate assessment), IMD (operational meteorology + hazard atlas) [2][3].
Significant for GS-I (geography of climatic events), GS-III (disaster management, environment, S&T) and for Prelims facts on agencies, reports and Mission Mausam.

MoES tabled the reply (PRID 2226185, 11 Feb 2026) in Parliament reiterating its extreme-weather research architecture — the "Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region" report and IMD's Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas [1][2].
Comes alongside the rollout of Mission Mausam (Cabinet approval 11 Sep 2024) to make India "Weather Ready, Climate Smart" [4].

2012: MoES set up Centre for Climate Change Research (CCCR) at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune [2].
2020: MoES released Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region (Springer, ISBN-linked at link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-15-4327-2) — India's first national climate-change assessment [1][2].
IMD Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas built from IMD's Annual Disastrous Weather Reports, hosted at imdpune.gov.in/hazardatlas [1][3].
Sep 2024: Union Cabinet approved Mission Mausam — ₹2,000 crore over 2 years — to upgrade observation, modelling and forecasting at MoES bodies (IMD, IITM, INCOIS, NCMRWF) [4].

Implementing ministry: Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) — NOT MoEFCC [1].
Nodal research body: CCCR at IITM, Pune (under MoES) [2].
Operational agency: India Meteorological Department (IMD), HQ New Delhi; Atlas hosted on IMD-Pune server [1][3].
Key report: Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region (Springer, 2020) [1].
Atlas coverage: 13 hazardous meteorological events (incl. heatwave, cold wave, cyclone, thunderstorm, hailstorm, dust storm, fog, snowfall, lightning, heavy rainfall, drought, flood, etc.) [1][3].
Atlas tech: GIS-based, web platform [1].
Mission Mausam outlay: ₹2,000 crore, 2 years, approved 11 Sep 2024 [4].

Surface air temperature over India ↑ ~0.7 °C (1901–2018) [2].
Tropical Indian Ocean SST ↑ ~1 °C (1951–2015) [2].
Rising frequency of localized heavy rainfall, droughts, floods; intensification of tropical cyclones in the Arabian Sea [2].

Scientific/Technological: GIS-based web atlas; coupled-model projections by IITM-CCCR; Mission Mausam adds high-resolution AI/ML modelling, supercomputing, radars and radiosondes [2][4].
Administrative: Multi-agency (MoES → IMD/IITM/INCOIS/NCMRWF); inter-ministerial linkage with NDMA for Heat Action Plans across 23 states [5].
Environmental: Documents anthropogenic GHG + aerosol forcing, land-use change as drivers of Indian climate extremes [2].
Social/Disaster: Atlas's 13-hazard mapping feeds vulnerability assessments crucial for SDMAs and farmer/fisher advisories [1][3].
Economic: Underpins crop-insurance (PMFBY), agromet advisories and early-warning that reduce disaster losses; Mission Mausam ₹2,000 cr is the fiscal lever [4].

11 Sep 2024: Cabinet approves Mission Mausam (₹2,000 cr) [4].
11 Feb 2026: MoES tables Parliament reply on extreme-weather studies (the source release) [1].
Mar 2026: MoES tables related PQ on "Studies for Climate Change" reaffirming CCCR/IITM role [2].
Continuous updating of IMD Hazard Atlas and Annual Disastrous Weather Reports [3].

Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region — published by MoES, led by CCCR-IITM Pune, 2020 [1][2].
IMD's Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas covers 13 hazardous meteorological events [1].
Atlas uses GIS and is hosted at imdpune.gov.in/hazardatlas [1].
Surface air temperature over India rose ~0.7 °C between 1901 and 2018 [2].
Tropical Indian Ocean SST rose ~1 °C between 1951 and 2015 [2].
Mission Mausam approved 11 Sept 2024, outlay ₹2,000 crore, duration 2 years [4].
Mission Mausam executing bodies: IMD, IITM-Pune, INCOIS (all under MoES) [4].
NDMA + IMD working with 23 states on Heat Action Plans [5].
Nodal ministry for climate science assessment in India: Ministry of Earth Sciences (NOT MoEFCC, which is UNFCCC focal point) [1].
Atlas vulnerability maps derived from IMD's Annual Disastrous Weather Reports [3].

GS-I: Geography → Climatology — changes in monsoon, cyclones, heatwaves over India.
GS-III: Environment & Disaster Management; Science & Tech (modelling/forecasting).
Likely question stems: 1. "Assess the institutional architecture in India for studying and forecasting extreme weather events. How does Mission Mausam advance this agenda?" (GS-III) 2. "Discuss the key findings of MoES's Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region and their implications for adaptation policy." (GS-III) 3. "Vulnerability mapping is a prerequisite for effective disaster risk reduction. Examine with reference to IMD's Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas." (GS-III)

Mission Mausam — flagship scheme operationalising the same agenda [4].
IPCC AR6 & India-specific findings — global benchmark for the MoES report.
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) & 8 Missions — policy umbrella under MoEFCC.
NDMA Heat Action Plans — downstream use of hazard atlas [5].
PMFBY / Agromet Advisory Services — economic application.
INCOIS Tsunami & Storm Surge Early Warning — sister system under MoES.
Indian Ocean Warming & Arabian Sea cyclones — physical-science angle [2].
UNFCCC / India's NDC & LT-LEDS — international linkage.

Wrong ministry: Assessment report is by MoES, not MoEFCC. MoEFCC handles UNFCCC negotiations.
Wrong institute: Lead institute is IITM Pune (CCCR), not IISc or NCMRWF.
Atlas hazard count: It covers 13 meteorological hazards, not all natural hazards (earthquakes/landslides excluded).
Mission Mausam outlay: ₹2,000 crore over 2 years — often misquoted as a 5-year scheme.
Confusing publisher: Although tabled by MoES, the report is published commercially by Springer (2020) — both are correct.