NEW DELHI, September 24 — The Ministry of Civil Aviation officially launched the next phase of the regional air connectivity scheme "Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik" (UDAN) on Thursday in partnership with 22 State and Union Territory governments.
The upgraded phase prioritizes developing helicopter routes, sea-plane bases, and unserved regional airstrips connecting tier-2 and tier-3 industrial hubs, pilgrimage destinations, and remote border settlements in the Northeast and island territories. The Centre updated Viability Gap Funding (VGF) norms and state-supported concessional aviation turbine fuel (ATF) rates to ensure long-term commercial viability for regional carrier routes.
Civil Aviation officials highlighted that over 550 routes and more than 80 previously unserved and underserved airports have been made operational under the UDAN framework since its inception, significantly expanding domestic civil aviation passenger volumes.
Regional aviation connectivity policies and public infrastructure schemes are recurring topics in government examination syllabi. Candidates should note that the UDAN scheme was first launched in 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.