Twenty-one states and Union Territories have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the Civil Aviation Ministry under the next phase of the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme in New Delhi today. Speaking on the occasion, Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu described UDAN as one of the most revolutionary schemes in the country, propelling regional air connectivity across the nation. Highlighting the vision for the next phase, the Minister noted that following the extension of the scheme for another 10 years, the government aims to construct 100 new airports and 200 modern heliports or helipads across the country. He added that the upcoming phase targets facilitating travel for four crore UDAN passengers. Mr Naidu also noted that the aviation-sector jobs have grown from around 3 million in 2014 to nearly 7.7 million today, with the potential to reach 25 million by 2040.

Mr Naidu stated that more than 90 airports have been built over the past decade under UDAN, extending affordable air travel benefits to nearly one crore 54 lakh passengers.

The event also witnessed the launch of the Challenge Mode Portal for Aerodrome Development and the release of the Scheme Document for the next phase of UDAN Route bidding.

Under the Challenge Mode, airport projects will be prioritized and fast-tracked to cut construction timelines down to an 18-month target from the earlier average of two to three years. The route bidding round process will facilitate the expansion of air services to unserved and underserved regions, improving accessibility and mobility and supporting wider economic activity, tourism, trade and employment.