27.1 C
Delhi
Saturday, April 18, 2026

Sitharaman unveils modified UDAN scheme to boost regional connectivity

Date:

Share post:

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced the launch of a modified UDAN scheme aimed at enhancing regional connectivity by adding 120 new destinations and facilitating four crore additional passengers over the next decade.

Presenting the Union Budget 2025 in Parliament, Sitharaman said the scheme would also support the development of helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational and northeastern regional districts.

“Inspired by the success, a modified UDAN scheme will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore additional passengers in the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and northeast regional districts,” she said.

The Finance Minister further announced the development of greenfield airports in Bihar to meet the state’s future aviation needs. “These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and the Brownfield airport in Bihta,” she added.

Additionally, Sitharaman assured financial support for the Western Kosi Canal Extension, Renovation and Modernisation (ERM) project in Mithilanchal, stating that it would benefit a large number of farmers in the region.

Her announcement on Bihar’s infrastructure push led to Opposition sloganeering in Parliament, with leaders questioning the allocation of funds for the projects

Related articles

Trump Can Block the Persian Gulf, But the Caspian Sea Is Iran’s Backdoor

There is a tendency in global strategic thinking - particularly in Washington - to assume that geography behaves...

It is Time for ‘Shakti’ to Rise: Women’s Reservation as India’s Democratic Awakening

India today stands at the cusp of a long-overdue democratic correction. For decades, the country that prides itself...

‘Sarthak’ Turns Meaningless as Rajasthan Govt Suggests Names Makkhi, Bhayankar for Sarthak Naam Abhiyan

The Rajasthan state government is all set to roll out the ‘Sarthak Naam Abhiyan’ scheme, which is aimed...

It is Time We Talk About Anglo-Indians, Outcasts Whom Nobody Mentions: ‘Vermillion Harvest’ Author Reenita Malhotra Hora

April 13 remains etched in India’s collective memory as the day of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre—one of the...