Government Plans Major Extension for UDAN Scheme, Boosts Seaplane Operations

The government plans to extend the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN by another ten years, with additional funding for seaplane operations. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu also announced new norms for seaplane operations and highlighted the interest of states like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra in participating.

The government announced plans to extend the UDAN scheme, aimed at enhancing regional air connectivity, by an additional ten years. Speaking on Thursday, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu revealed that viability gap funding would be provided to support seaplane operations, with new simplified norms also introduced.

Naidu highlighted that states such as Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have shown interest in the scheme, with demo flights starting in Vijayawada this October. He emphasized that seaplanes could also serve roles beyond tourism, including research, environmental monitoring, and coastal defense.

The Minister further championed the success of UDAN, which commenced in 2017, operationalizing 579 routes. Despite some routes being discontinued due to various reasons, a fresh round of bidding under the scheme has been launched to bolster air connectivity across India.

(With inputs from agencies.)