Over 130 lakh people availed of UDAN scheme so far: Govt

December 5, 2023: More than 130 lakh people have availed of the benefits of the government’s regional connectivity scheme (RCS), minister of state, civil aviation, VK Singh informed Parliament on December 4. Of the Rs 4,500 crore allocated for the development of airports under the scheme since its inception, Rs 3,751 crore has been utilised, the minister added.

“An amount of Rs 1,000 crore has been allocated under Phase-II of the scheme during the period 2023-26 for development and operationalisation of 50 new airports/heliports/water aerodromes in the country,” he added.

All about India’s Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN

The Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme seeks to stimulate regional air connectivity at affordable rates for the masses. Under the scheme, the Centre plans to provide connectivity to unserved and underserved airports of the country through the revival of the existing airstrips and airports.

Launched on October 21, 2016, with a 10-year vision, the scheme is a vital component of India’s National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016. The first RCS-UDAN flight was inaugurated on April 27, 2017. Under the scheme, the Centre targets to operationalise 1,000 routes and revive and develop 100 unserved and underserved airports/heliports/water aerodromes by 2024 for operations. Over six years, various versions of the UDAN scheme were launched.

UDAN 1.0: 5 airline companies were awarded 128 flight routes to 70 airports (including 36 newly made operational airports)

UDAN 2.0: 73 underserved and unserved airports were announced and for the first time; helipads were also connected.

UDAN 3.0: In coordination with the tourism ministry, tourism routes were included. In addition to seaplanes for connecting water aerodromes, several routes in the northeast region came under the ambit of the scheme.

UDAN 4.0: Gave impetus to the northeastern regions, hilly states and islands. The operation of helicopters and seaplanes is incorporated.

UDAN 5: The focus is on Category-2 (20-80 seats) and Category-3 (>80 seats) aircraft.

UDAN 5.1: This round of RCS-UDAN is designed specifically for helicopter routes by increasing the scope of operations for helicopter operators.

UDAN 5.2: Bidding is underway to further enhance the connectivity to remote and regional areas of the country, achieve last-mile connectivity, and provide impetus to the tourism sector through small aircraft (<20 seats).

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Sunita Mishra

An alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal, Sunita Mishra brings over 16 years of expertise to the fields of legal matters, financial insights, and property market trends. Recognised for her ability to elucidate complex topics, her articles serve as a go-to resource for home buyers navigating intricate subjects. Through her extensive career, she has been associated with esteemed organisations like the Financial Express, Hindustan Times, Network18, All India Radio, and Business Standard.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Sunita holds an MA degree in Sanskrit, with a specialisation in Indian Philosophy, from Delhi University. Outside of her work schedule, she likes to unwind by practising Yoga, and pursues her passion for travel.
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