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UDAN Scheme: Regional Air Connectivity Goals and Challenges

7 November 20251 min read
GOVERNMENT SCHEMESUDAN Scheme:Regional AirConnectivity Goalsand Challenges7 November 2025safalsetu.com

Why in the news

UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik), built to make flying affordable and link small towns, is struggling to meet its aims.

Key facts

  • Ministry: Civil Aviation (MoCA); launched: 2016.
  • Fare cap: keeps tickets within a common citizen’s reach.
  • Viability Gap Funding (VGF): pays airlines flying loss-making regional routes.
  • Airports and routes: focus on underserved areas and low-connectivity, high-importance routes.

UDAN 2.0

  • Budget promise: 120 new destinations and 4 crore additional passengers over a decade.

Concerns

  • Without a basic rethink of policy, it may add under-used ‘white elephant’ airports and waste public money.

Exam angle

  • Expansion: Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik; funding tool: VGF.

Test yourself

1. Which ministry runs the UDAN scheme?

UDAN is a Ministry of Civil Aviation scheme launched in 2016.

2. What does Viability Gap Funding under UDAN support?

VGF gives financial support to airlines on loss-making regional routes.

3. How many new destinations did the Budget promise under UDAN 2.0?

The notes say 120 new destinations and 4 crore additional passengers over a decade.

This topic is part of Daily Current Affairs 7 November 2025 (16 topics).

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