Why in the news?

  • Government proposes a ₹30,000 crore outlay to extend and strengthen UDAN beyond April 2027.

UDAN Scheme

  • What is it?: UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) was launched in 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy to democratise air travel by enhancing regional air connectivity.
  • Financial Support: ₹8,000 crore.
  • Achievements:
    • 649 of 915 valid routes operationalised.
    • 92 unserved/underserved airports, 15 heliports, 2 water aerodromes connected.
    • 1.56 crore+ passengers flew via 3.23 lakh UDAN flights.

Revamped UDAN Scheme

  • Focus Areas:
    • Hilly & remote regions and North-Eastern states.
    • Aspirational districts
    • Small towns with limited/no air connectivity
  • Allocation:
    • ₹18,000 crore – Development of new airports, greenfield airports, refurbished airstrips, heliports in hilly regions.
    • ₹12,000 crore – Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for airlines operating low-demand regional routes.
  • Key Features:
    • Expansion of Aviation Network: Aim to connect 120 additional destinations in the next decade by expanding into remote regions.
    • Passenger Growth Target: Enable 4 crore additional passengers to use regional flights over 10 years.
    • Holistic Infrastructure Support: Strengthen small airports, heliports and waterdomes and Ensure multimodal last-mile connectivity for regional aviation.
    • Enhanced Private Sector Participation: Aircraft leasing, Operator permits as well as Route bidding to attract more operators by removing earlier procedural hurdles.
  • Expected Benefits:
    • Improved Regional Connectivity:   
      • Better access for isolated, remote, and economically backward regions.
      • Increased tourism, trade, and mobility.
    • Economic Growth & Employment: Airport construction and increased flight operations creates more jobs in aviation, hospitality, transport, and logistics.
    • Enhanced Emergency & Health Access: Faster medical evacuations and improved delivery of essential supplies in remote districts.
    • Strengthening North-East & Hilly States: Focus on North-East, Himalayan belt, and Aspirational districts will help reduce regional inequalities.