The Ministry of Civil Aviation has started the fifth round of the Regional connection Scheme (RCS) - Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) to further improve connectivity to rural and regional areas of the country and achieve last mile connectivity after the first four bidding rounds were successful.

The maximum phase length for funding the viability gap (VGF), previously set at 500 km, is now 600 km for both priority and non-priority areas.

There would be no pre-planned routes available. Only networks and individual routes proposed by airlines will be taken into account. After two months have passed since the LoA is issued, the airlines should present a business plan or action plan setting out how they will procure aircraft and what will be available in terms of slots, crew and other resources at the time of the technical proposal.

No airline receives the same route more than once, whether it is within the same network or a different network.

To prevent abuse of the monopoly on a route, exclusivity is revoked if the average quarterly PLF exceeds 75% for four consecutive quarters.

For each month of delay up to a maximum of 4 months, 25% of the Performance Guarantee is forfeited, which provides additional motivation for rapid operationalization.

Airlines should start flying within 4 months of the allocation of the route. It used to be six months. In order to allow for rapid operationalisation of routes under the scheme, the plan includes a list of airports that are ready for use or will soon be ready for use.

Airlines should start flying within 4 months of the allocation of the route. It used to be six months. In order to allow for rapid operationalisation of routes under the scheme, the plan includes a list of airports that are ready for use or will soon be ready for use.

The procedure for innovating routes from one operator to another will be streamlined and strengthened.

Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, commented on the opening of UDAN 5.0 by saying: "UDAN has proven to be a lifeline of many regions that are now well connected to places across the country. This improved and more powerful version of the plan will increase momentum, connect new routes and bring us one step closer to the goal of soon operationalising 1,000 routes and 50 additional airports, heliports and waterlines.

A wide range of stakeholders have benefited from the UDAN scheme. Air links have benefited from passengers, airlines have benefited from incentives to operate regional flights, and unserved regions have benefited both directly and indirectly in terms of their ability to grow their economies.