What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: The budgetary allocation for the civil aviation ministry has been significantly reduced for the fiscal year ending March 2024. Presenting the Union Budget 2024-25, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced an allocation of ₹2,357.14 crore for the ministry, a decrease from the revised allocation of ₹2,922.12 crore for 2023-24.
The regional air connectivity scheme, UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), also faces budget cuts, with its allocation reduced to ₹502 crore from the previous ₹850 crore. This scheme aims to enhance air connectivity in underserved regions by reviving 22 airports, initiating 124 regional connectivity scheme routes, and providing Viability Gap Funding for Northeast Connectivity. This reduction is expected to impact the revitalization of unused and underused airports in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
In addition to these cuts, the budget highlights a new scheme designed to improve air connectivity and aviation infrastructure in the northeastern region. Moreover, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for drones and drone components will see an increased allocation of ₹57 crore, up from ₹33 crore in the revised estimates for 2023-24.
The budget documents reveal that the allocation for the civil aviation ministry for the upcoming financial year stands at ₹2,300 crore, down from ₹2,922.12 crore in the revised estimate for the current fiscal year. This allocation includes a revenue component of ₹2,257.79 crore.
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Further cuts are seen in the allocations for key regulators. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will receive ₹302.64 crore, a reduction from the revised estimate of ₹397.55 crore for 2023-24. Similarly, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) will see its allocation reduced to ₹89 crore from ₹100.02 crore in the revised estimates for the current fiscal year.
