Parliament Question: Airports in tribal and backward areas

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 998 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9th February 2026 AIRPORTS IN TRIBAL AND BACKWARD AREAS 998. SHRI DEBASHISH SAMANTARAY Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) airstrips upgraded in Western Odisha; (b) UDAN flights made operational; (c) funds released; (d) timeline for new services; and (e) socio-economic impact? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (e): Under the Regional Connectivity Scheme-Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) Scheme, Jharsuguda, Jeypore, Rourkela and Utkela airports have been developed and operationalised in the state of Odisha. Additionally, Rangeilunda, Amarda and Rairangpur (Dandabose) airstrips have been identified for development to support RCS flights. A total of 32 RCS routes have been operationalised in the State of Odisha under the UDAN Scheme and amount of Rs. 215 crore has been disbursed as Viability Gap Funding (VGF). To further strengthen and expand regional air connectivity, the Government has announced the launch of the modified UDAN Scheme to increase regional connectivity to 120 new destinations across the country, to cater to 4 crore passengers over the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts. RCS-UDAN has boosted regional economic growth by improving connectivity in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, fostering tourism, trade, employment, and inclusive development across remote and underserved regions. So far, over 160 lakhs domestic passengers have travelled on more than 3.36 lakh RCS flights. ******