UDAN Scheme and Regional Connectivity
The UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, launched in 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016, aims to improve regional air connectivity by subsidising operations on underserved routes. While UDAN primarily covers domestic routes, the broader NCAP objectives include making international connectivity accessible to smaller cities — a policy direction that supports Madurai's upgrade.
- UDAN 1.0 to UDAN 5.0: Progressive expansion of regional routes; airports revived include Jharsuguda, Deoghar, Darbhanga, Kushinagar (all formerly non-operational)
- UDAN mechanism: Viability Gap Funding (VGF) shared between Centre and states to subsidise airlines on capped-fare routes; Central Government bears 80%, state 20% for most states
- Madurai already has domestic UDAN connectivity; the international status upgrade complements UDAN by attracting full-fare international carriers
- Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF): Funded by a levy on passengers departing from major airports — typically ₹50–₹2,500 per departing passenger based on flight distance
● Tracked since March 10, 2026 · last seen March 14, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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