On Wednesday, March 25, the Union Cabinet approved a revised regional air connectivity scheme with an allocation of ₹28,840 crore over ten years, aiming to enhance aviation access for smaller cities and remote areas.
Under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet endorsed the updated UDAN scheme to run from FY27 to FY36, according to a government statement.
The initiative includes the development of 100 airports from unserved airstrips within the next eight years, backed by a capital expenditure of ₹12,159 crore, as part of efforts to improve regional connectivity.
Additionally, the government will offer operational and maintenance support for regional aerodromes for a period of up to three years, addressing high expenses and limited revenue. This aspect is estimated to cost ₹2,577 crore.
To enhance last-mile connectivity in remote, hilly, and island regions, the scheme aims to develop 200 helipads, with a total funding of ₹3,661 crore.
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Airlines conducting operations under the scheme will be eligible for viability gap funding totaling about ₹10,043 crore over the next decade, designed to assist operations on less profitable routes.
The plan also encompasses the acquisition of small aircraft and helicopters from domestic manufacturers to facilitate operations in challenging terrains and promote local aerospace manufacturing.
Since its launch in 2016 to make air travel more accessible, the UDAN programme has successfully operationalized 663 routes across 95 airports, heliports, and water aerodromes, with over 3.41 lakh flights and more than 162.47 lakh passengers carried, as noted by the government.
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(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
