Modalities being worked for tourism, international verticals of UDAN scheme: Official

The central government plans to promote air connectivity to destinations with high tourism potential under a separate vertical of its UDAN regional connectivity scheme, a senior official said on Wednesday.

According to the senior official with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, modalities will be worked out to provide air connectivity to "Iconic Tourist" destinations in the country.

The official said that the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has decided to form a joint committee to study the modalities for UDAN like scheme to provide air connectivity to these locations.

However, the new scheme's parameters will be different from those used for RCS-UDAN and that such a vertical will be fully funded by the Ministry of Tourism.

On the international variant of UDAN, the official informed that the state government of Assam has set aside Rs 100 crore per annum for an initiative to promote air connectivity between Guwahati and ASEAN countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar.

Subsequently, the Ministry fo Civil Aviation has been requested by the state government to work out the parameters for such a scheme.

The official added that the scheme envisaged for Assam can also be used by other states for similar initiatives.

--IANS

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