GUWAHATI: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth consecutive Union Budget on Saturday, February 1, unveiling several key initiatives to bolster regional connectivity and the maritime sector. A remodel of UDAN scheme was announced to enhance regional connectivity by adding 120 new destinations.
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The scheme aims to facilitate travel for four crore passengers over the next decade and will provide support for helipads and smaller airports, particularly in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts.
The Finance Minister also announced the creation of a Maritime Development Fund with a corpus of ₹25,000 crore. The government will contribute up to 49 per cent, with the remaining funds coming from ports and the private sector.
Furthermore, the shipbuilding industry will come with a new Shipbuilding financial assistance policy. Large ships exceeding a specified size will be included in the infrastructure harmonised master list (HML).