Ministry of Civil Aviation Launches UDAN 5.0

Tags: Government Schemes

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched the 5th phase of Regional Air Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) to further enhance connectivity in remote and regional areas of the country and achieve last mile air connectivity.

Key Features of Udaan 5.0

• This phase of UDAN focuses on Tier-II (20-80 seats) and Tier-III (80 seats).

• The 600 km limit of the first phase has been done away with and there is no restriction for the distance between the origin and destination of the flight.

• The Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to be provided will be capped at a distance of 600 km for priority and non-priority areas, which was 500 km.

• No predetermined route will be offered. Only the network proposed by the airlines and the individual route proposal will be considered.

• A route shall not be assigned to an airline more than once, whether on different networks or within the same network.

• Airlines will have to start operations within 4 months of being granted the route. Earlier this time limit was 6 months.

About UDAN scheme

• Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) was launched in 2016 as a Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

• Its objective is to provide affordable, economically viable and profitable air travel on regional routes to the common man even in small towns.