Subject: Economy

UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) was launched in 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy, UDAN caps fares (≈ ₹2,500 for a one-hour, 500 km flight) and offers viability-gap funding, tax cuts on aviation turbine fuel and fee waivers to airlines operating on unserved or underserved routes.

Features of UDAN Scheme

Why wider regional air links matter

• Balanced growth – Air bridges between Tier-2/3 cities and metros disperse investment, integrate markets and shrink regional disparities.
• Tourism & trade – Faster access to destinations such as Darbhanga or Pakyong boosts local hospitality, handicrafts and perishables exports.
• Time efficiency – Flights cut ten-hour road trips to roughly sixty minutes, raising productivity and business reach.
• Jobs & skills – Each revived airport spurs direct and indirect employment in ground handling, logistics and allied services.
• Strategic & disaster response – All-weather strips in border or hazard-prone zones strengthen security logistics and emergency relief.
• Metro decongestion – Shifting point-to-point traffic to regional corridors eases saturation at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru hubs.

Milestones to April 2025

Assessment

• UDAN has democratised flying, revived dormant airports such as Jharsuguda, Kishangarh and Tezu, and nurtured new regional carriers.
• Roughly one-third of awarded routes have lapsed, mainly due to weak demand and airline finances.
• But a revamped UDAN 2025 aims for 120 additional destinations and 4 crore new passengers, with a push for water aerodromes and seaplanes.

Expanding regional connectivity through UDAN therefore remains central to inclusive growth, seamless mobility and a more integrated Indian economy.