Government to Extend Regional Air Connectivity Scheme by Ten Years

The Indian government plans to extend the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN by another ten years and provide viability gap funding for seaplane operations. The initiative aims to boost local manufacturing of aircraft and enhance tourism, research, and coastal defense. Demo flights for seaplanes will start in October.

The government plans to extend the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN by another ten years, introducing viability gap funding for seaplane operations, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced on Thursday.

The government aims to encourage companies to design and manufacture aircraft, helicopters, and seaplanes in India, Naidu added. He also revealed that simplified norms for seaplane operations will be introduced.

Naidu mentioned that states like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have shown interest in seaplane operations, with demo flights scheduled to begin in October, starting in Vijayawada. He emphasized that apart from tourism, seaplanes could be valuable for research, environmental monitoring, coastal resource management, and coastal defense. The existing UDAN scheme has successfully operationalized 579 routes and connected 85 airports since its launch in 2017, but some routes have been discontinued for various reasons.

(With inputs from agencies.)