Budget 2025: Revamped UDAN scheme to connect 120 new destinations
01 Feb 2025
In her latest budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has unveiled plans for a revamped UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme.
The enhanced initiative will boost regional connectivity by adding 120 new destinations and serving four crore passengers over the next decade.
"The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly aspirational and Northeast regional districts," Sitharaman stated.
UDAN's impact and future plans
Scheme progress
Under the current UDAN scheme, 619 routes connecting 88 airports (including two water aerodromes and 13 heliports) have been operationalized. This has benefited some 1.4 crore passengers till now.
Sitharaman stressed that "UDAN has enabled 1.4 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel."
Spearheaded by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the scheme aims to enhance regional air connectivity from unserved and underserved airports across India, making air travel affordable for the masses.
New airports and expansion projects in Bihar
Infrastructure development
Sitharaman also announced new greenfield airports in Bihar to meet the state's future requirements.
This will go hand in hand with the expansion of Patna's existing airport capacity.
Further, financial aid will be given for the Western Coast Sea Canal ERM project, which would benefit many farmers who cultivate over 50,000 hectares of land in Bihar.
Budget allocation for Ministry of Civil Aviation
Funding details
Further, the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been slashed to ₹2,357.14 crore for FY25 from ₹2,922.12 crore in the revised budgetary allocation for FY24.
The regional air connectivity scheme, which seeks to make remote areas more accessible, got ₹502 crore—a major cut from ₹850 crore allocated in the FY24 revised budget.
The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for drones and drone components has also received a boost with its allocation increasing to ₹57 crore.
