Budget 2025-26: UDAN scheme to bring 120 new destinations on air map

New Delhi, Feb1: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced the launch of a modified UDAN (Uday Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, as part of her Budget 2025-26 proposals, to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years.

This scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts, the Finance Minister said.

Praising the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN, she said in her speech that UDAN has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel. The scheme has connected 88 airports and operationalised 619 routes. Inspired by that success,

She also informed the house that the government will facilitate the upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo including high-value perishable horticulture produce. Cargo screening and customs protocols will also be streamlined and made user-friendly.

Giving infrastructure a fillip to Bihar, the Union Finance Minister proposed that the Greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta. Financial support will also be provided for the Western Koshi Canal ERM Project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.

The civil aviation sector has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country and plays a critical role in economic growth and job creation.

There has been a rapid expansion in airports, airline fleets have grown, and cargo operations have surged, all verticals related to civil aviation have pushed boundaries. India has now become the third-largest domestic aviation hub in the whole world a senior official said.

India’s domestic air passenger traffic rose by 6.12 per cent to 16.13 crore in 2024 from 15.2 crore in the previous year, according to the latest data compiled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The country’s commercial airlines also flew more than 1.49 crore passengers on domestic routes in December 2024, which represents an increase of 8.19 per cent compared to the corresponding figure of 1.38 crore for December 2023.