Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu launches Challenge Mode for Aerodrome Development

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched the Challenge Mode for Aerodrome Development and signed MoUs with 21 States and Union Territories for the next phase of the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme. The modified UDAN framework is built on four pillars: passenger affordability, operational sustainability, a transparent Challenge Mode framework, and the promotion of indigenous manufacturing for Made-in-India civil aircraft. Under the Challenge Mode portal, State Governments and UT Administrations can proactively nominate airstrips and helipads for development. Additionally, the scheme document for the next phase of UDAN route bidding was released to connect unserved and underserved regions, targeting 120 new destinations and 4 crore more passengers over the next ten years.