Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has said that the next phase of the UDAN scheme aims to enhance connectivity to 120 new destinations and enable four crore passengers to travel over the next 10 years.

Addressing a workshop on the next phase of UDAN in New Delhi, Mr Naidu said the revamped scheme expands eligibility for viability gap funding, extends support to airlines from three years to five years, and introduces operational and maintenance support for select Tier-2 and Tier-3 airports.

He said the government has earmarked an outlay of 29 thousand crore rupees for the next phase, with a target of developing 100 more airports and 200 heliports over the next decade.

The Minister added that the next phase of UDAN will further promote Atmanirbhar Bharat by supporting indigenous aircraft manufacturing, strengthening the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) ecosystem, generating employment and boosting regional economic growth.