Extend Financial Assistance To Airlines Under Udan Scheme To Five Years: Karnataka Govt To Centre

Bengaluru: Karnataka Industries Minister M B Patil on Friday urged the Centre to increase the lock-in period for assistance given to airlines under the Udan (ude desh ki aam nagarik) scheme to keep district and smaller airports up and running. Currently, airlines receive financial assistance in different forms for three years for operating flights from smaller airports across the country under the scheme.

"We have requested the Centre to increase this period to five years because most of the smaller airports are shutting down across India as airlines cannot sustain operations without government assistance. The Union Aviation Minister has responded positively to our request," Patil said.

In Karnataka, Kalaburagi and Bidar airports have already shut down because airlines withdrew their services after the lock-in period. Shivamogga airport, inaugurated in 2023, is also likely to face the same situation in one or two years, Patil added.

Patil said that besides increasing the assistance period to five years, the state suggested continuing the assistance for the next five years with a 50% share from the states. "If we don't make such offers, no airlines will operate from smaller airports. All of them will ultimately shut down," Patil added.

He also said that the government is making every effort to restart flight services from Bidar and Kalaburagi using its own funds. "The Infrastructure Development Department and the Kalayana-Karnataka Region Development Board will together offer the same assistance provided under the Udan scheme to airlines to ensure flight services from Bidar and Kalaburagi airports," he added.

Earlier, BJP MLA Gali Janardhan Reddy urged Patil to start the construction of Ballari airport at the earliest. "It's been over a decade since the government acquired 850 acres for the new airport, but construction work hasn't started yet," he said.

He said lakhs of people, including foreigners, visit the world heritage site of Hampi and Anjanadri Betta every year. The construction of Ballari airport will not only help these tourists but also boost the local economy.

Patil said that the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has identified two new sites for Ballari airport, and a meeting between the elected representatives of Ballari, Vijayanagar and Koppal districts and the Chief Minister will soon be convened to finalise the site," he added.

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