More than one crore passengers have flown in the past five years while taking advantage of the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik), the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s flagship programme, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.
UDAN Scheme
On October 21, 2016, the scheme was launched with the goal of achieving the aspirations of the average citizen by implementing the “Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik” vision, with improved aviation infrastructure and air connectivity in tier II and tier III cities.
On April 27, 2017, the first flight under the programme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The country’s regional air connectivity has significantly improved thanks to UDAN over the past five years.
In 2014, there were 74 active airports. As a result of the UDAN programme, this number has now reached 141. The UDAN scheme has connected 68 underserved/unserved destinations, including 58 airports, 8 heliports, and 2 water aerodromes, according to a statement from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. With 425 new routes launched under the programme, UDAN has expanded air connectivity to more than 29 States and UTs throughout the nation. As of August 4, 2022, more than one crore passengers had utilised the benefits of this programme.
According to the plan, the regional carriers now have a much-needed platform to expand their operations. By 2026, UDAN aims to complete 220 destinations (airports, heliports, and water aerodromes), adding 1,000 routes to connect the country’s unconnected destinations by air. 954 routes connecting 156 airports have already been awarded under UDAN.
Jyotiraditya Scindia, the minister of civil aviation, said
“The government’s dedication to the Prime Minister’s vision of “Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik” is shown by the success of RCS-UDAN. It has had a significant impact on how the Indian aviation industry has changed.”
Growth of regional connectivity
“As of now, 425 routes are aiming to reach 1,000 routes under this programme, and 68 new airports are aiming to reach 100 airports. We anticipate 40 crore travellers using India’s civil aviation over the next four years. It won’t be long before civil aviation, alongside rail and road transportation, becomes India’s main form of transportation “said the minister.
The National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP)-2016 review served as the foundation for the formulation of RCS-UDAN, which was intended to be in effect for ten years. With the creation of the Regional Connectivity Fund, it has a self-financing mechanism (RCF).
In accordance with this plan, RCF was established to finance the scheme’s Viability Gap Funding requirements through a levy on some domestic flights. In this way, the sector itself generates funds to support its own growth and development. A wide range of stakeholders have benefited from the UDAN scheme. Air connectivity has benefited passengers, airlines have received incentives to operate regional routes, and underserved regions have benefited both directly and indirectly from it in terms of their ability to develop their economies.
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