Sat Feb 01 07:10:00 UTC 2025: ## India Unveils Ambitious Upgrade to UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme
**New Delhi** – India’s government announced a significant expansion of its flagship regional air connectivity scheme, UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik), in the Union Budget 2025-26 presented today. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed a modified UDAN scheme targeting 120 new destinations, aiming to serve an additional four crore passengers over the next decade.
The enhanced scheme will prioritize underserved areas, including hilly, aspirational, and northeastern regions, supporting the development of helipads and smaller airports. The government also plans to facilitate the construction of greenfield airports in Bihar to meet the state’s growing aviation needs.
The current UDAN scheme, launched in 2016, has already connected 88 airports via 619 operational routes, including water aerodromes and heliports, benefiting over 1.4 crore passengers. The Economic Survey 2024-25 highlighted the scheme’s positive impact on air connectivity, coinciding with India’s position as the world’s fastest-growing aviation market. This growth is underscored by domestic airlines’ record-breaking orders for over 1,700 new aircraft. Significant investment in airport infrastructure is also underway, with over 91% of a Rs 91,000 crore capital expenditure plan already achieved by November 2024. The expansion of UDAN reflects the government’s commitment to enhancing regional air travel accessibility and supporting India’s booming aviation sector.
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