UDAN scheme

Oct. 29, 2022

The Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and the Airport Authority of India (AAI), recently signed an Operation and Management (O & M) agreement to facilitate commercial operations at Rourkela Airport under the RCS UDAN scheme.

About:

Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN

  • UDAN (UdeDeshkaAamNaagrik) is a regional airport development and "Regional Connectivity Scheme" (RCS) of the Union Government.
  • The scheme UDAN envisages providing connectivity to un-served and under-served airports of the country through revival of existing air-strips and airports.
  • Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Civil Aviation
  • This is first-of-its-kind scheme globally to create economically viable flights on regional routes so that flying becomes affordable to the common man even in small towns.
  • It is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) which was released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (India) in 2016.
  • The scheme is jointly funded by the central government and state governments.

Two components of UDAN:

  • Airports:The first component is to develop new airports and enhance the existing regional airports to increase the number of operational airports for scheduled civilian flights.
  • Flight routes:The second component is to add several hundred financially-viable, capped-airfare, new regional flight routes to connect more than 100 under-served and un-served airports in smaller towns by using "Viability Gap Funding" (VGF) where needed.
Source : PIB