**Subject:** Economy UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) was launched in 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy, UDAN caps fares (≈ ₹2,500 for a one-hour, 500 km flight) and offers **viability-gap funding**, tax cuts on aviation turbine fuel and fee waivers to airlines operating on unserved or underserved routes. ## Features of UDAN Scheme
 ## Why wider regional air links matter - **Balanced growth** – Air bridges between Tier-2/3 cities and metros disperse investment, integrate markets and shrink regional disparities. - **Tourism & trade** – Faster access to destinations such as Darbhanga or Pakyong boosts local hospitality, handicrafts and perishables exports. - **Time efficiency** – Flights cut ten-hour road trips to roughly sixty minutes, raising productivity and business reach. - **Jobs & skills** – Each revived airport spurs direct and indirect employment in ground handling, logistics and allied services. - **Strategic & disaster response** – All-weather strips in border or hazard-prone zones strengthen security logistics and emergency relief. - **Metro decongestion** – Shifting point-to-point traffic to regional corridors eases saturation at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru hubs. ## Milestones to April 2025 | Metric | Status | Impact |
|--------|--------|--------|
| Routes operationalised | 625 | Connects thin markets to the national grid |
| Airports / heliports / water aerodromes served | 90 / 15 / 2 | Network expanded from 74 in 2014 to 159 airports in 2024 |
| Passengers flown | 1.49 crore | Makes air travel affordable for the masses |
| Flights operated | 2.8 lakh (August 2024) | Provides regular, reliable regional services |
| Viability-gap funding sanctioned | ₹4,023 crore | Keeps fares within the cap | ## Assessment - UDAN has **democratised flying**, revived dormant airports such as Jharsuguda, Kishangarh and Tezu, and nurtured new regional carriers. - Roughly one-third of awarded routes have lapsed, mainly due to weak demand and airline finances.
- But a **revamped UDAN 2025** aims for 120 additional destinations and 4 crore new passengers, with a push for water aerodromes and seaplanes. Expanding regional connectivity through UDAN therefore remains central to inclusive growth, seamless mobility and a more integrated Indian economy.