Civil Aviation Ministry to Sign MoUs with 22 States for Next Phase of UDAN Scheme

Key facts

• The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) will sign MoUs with 22 states for the next phase of the Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN, marking the launch of the Challenge Mode and a new Routes Bidding Round.
• The 22 states include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
• The Union Cabinet approved the Modified UDAN scheme for 10 years from FY 2026-27 to 2035-36 with a total outlay of ₹28,840 crore through budgetary support.
• Under the modified scheme, 100 airports are proposed to be developed from existing unserved airstrips and 200 modern helipads are planned in hilly, remote, island and aspirational regions.
• Under the Challenge Mode, proposed airports will be assessed on infrastructure readiness, proximity to tourist destinations, industrial corridors and major airports, land availability, and state governments' commitment to financial support and incentives.
• The UDAN scheme was launched in 2017 to improve air connectivity to underserved and unserved regions by providing incentives to airlines on regional routes.