The UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, a Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has celebrated its fifth year of success since its initiation by the Prime Minister on 27th April 2017.
Understanding the UDAN Scheme
UDAN was launched under the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 2016, which was formulated based on the review of The National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP)-2016. It was projected to remain prevalent for a period of 10 years. To fund the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) requirements of the scheme, a Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF) was formed. VGF refers to a grant one-time or deferred, offered to back infrastructure projects that justify their economic importance but lack financial viability.
Objective and Features of UDAN Scheme
The key goals of the UDAN Scheme are to develop the regional aviation market and provide affordable, economically viable air travelling to the common man, even in small towns. It aims to offer connectivity to unserved and underserved airports. These include airports that have no operations or those that do not have more than one flight a day.
To promote operations from these airports and keep airfares affordable, financial incentives are provided by the Centre, state governments and airport operators to selected airlines.
Achievements of the UDAN Scheme
Since 2014, operational airports have increased from 74 to 141, thanks to the UDAN scheme. A total of 68 underserved or unserved destinations including 58 Airports, 8 Heliports & 2 Water Aerodromes have been connected. With the initiation of 425 new routes, more than 29 States/ UTs across the country have gained air connectivity. As of 4th August 2022, more than one crore passengers have availed the benefits of this scheme.
Future Targets of the UDAN Scheme
The scheme aims to connect 220 destinations (airports/heliports/water aerodromes) by 2026 with 1000 routes. Out of these, 954 routes have already been awarded to connect 156 airports.
Awards & Recognition
The Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration under the Innovation Category for the year 2020 was awarded to RCS-UDAN. Moreover, the Republic Day Tableau on UDAN for 26th January 2022 was adjudged as the Best Tableau by the Ministry of Defence.
Tracking the Performance of the UDAN Scheme
The performance of the UDAN scheme has been divided into several phases, from UDAN 1.0 to 5.0, each introducing new routes, inclusion of various forms of air transportation such as helipads and seaplanes, and efforts to enhance connectivity in remote areas of the country. Notable extensions of the UDAN scheme include Lifeline UDAN launched during the COVID-19 pandemic for medical cargo transportation, Krishi UDAN designed for value realisation of agriculture products, especially in North-Eastern Region (NER) and tribal districts, and International UDAN aiming to connect India’s smaller cities directly to key foreign destinations.
Way Forward
To make the UDAN scheme self-sustainable and improve its efficiency, stakeholders should work collaboratively. It is suggested for airlines to undertake marketing initiatives so that more people can benefit from it. Additionally, more infrastructure development is crucial for the successful implementation of the scheme across the country.
