Modified UDAN scheme cleared
NEW DELHI, Mar 25:
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a five-year extension of the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration and Tracking (IVFRT) Scheme, committing Rs 1,800 crore to modernise and secure the country’s immigration system through March 2031.
The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the continuation of the scheme from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2031, a Government statement said.
The continuation of the scheme is not just a “technical upgrade, but a strategic transformation” aligned with the vision of the Government to promote international mobility through a world-class immigration and visa issuance system, it said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the cabinet’s decision to continue with the scheme for five years is a decisive step towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for making immigration to India simpler.
“It will further modernise visa-granting process and make travel and business within India seamless for our guests, while guarding India’s security goals,” he said on ‘X’.
The IVFRT Scheme was first approved in May 2010 by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, with an outlay of Rs 1,011 crore and a duration until September, 2014. It was extended in 2015, 2017 and 2021.
In January 2022, the Cabinet extended the scheme through March 31, 2026, with an allocation of Rs 1,365 crore.
The latest extension follows the enactment of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which has heightened the need for a stronger, more adaptable IVFRT system to address evolving travel demands and future challenges in immigration control and foreigner management, including illegal migration.
The next phase will focus on three areas– emerging technology innovations, transformation of core infrastructure, and technology and service optimisation.
Meanwhile, revamping the regional air connectivity initiative, the Union Cabinet also cleared a modified UDAN scheme with an outlay of Rs 28,840 crore for ten years that will provide funds for developing airports, related operations and maintenance activities, helipads and support for acquisition of India-made aircraft.
Airlines will be provided Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for operating UDAN routes, and the amount is estimated to be Rs 10,043 crore over the ten-year period starting from FY 2026-27.
Briefing media persons after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that under the modified scheme, 100 airports would be developed from existing unserved airstrips with the help of state Governments, and the outlay in this regard would be Rs 12,159 crore over the next eight years.
The scheme aims to develop 200 modern helipads at Rs 15 crore each, amounting to a total requirement of Rs 3,661 crore over the next eight years (inflation-adjusted), an official release said.
The focus will be to develop helipads in priority and aspirational districts to improve last-mile connectivity and emergency response.
Towards Operation & Maintenance (O&M) works, the scheme will provide support for three years, capped at Rs 3.06 crore per annum per airport and Rs 0.90 crore per annum per heliport/water aerodrome. The total amount is estimated to be Rs 2,577 crore for around 441 aerodromes, the release said.
According to the Government, the funding is being proposed, given the high recurring O&M costs and limited revenue streams for the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-only aerodromes.
“To address the shortage of small fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters required for operations in remote and difficult terrains and to advance the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, the scheme also proposes to procure two HAL Dhruv helicopters for Pawan Hans and two HAL Dornier aircraft for Alliance Air,” the release said.
The modified UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme has been approved for the period from FY2026-27 to FY 2035-36 with a total outlay of Rs 28,840 crore, and there will be budgetary support from the central Government. (PTI)
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