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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

  • 25 October, 2020

  • 6 Min Read

India's First Seaplane Project

India’s First Seaplane Project

  • A seaplane is a fixed-wing aeroplane designed for taking off and landing on water.
  • There are two main types of seaplanes: flying boats (often called hull seaplanes) and floatplanes.
  • India's first seaplane service in Gujarat, is set to start from 31st October 2020, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with the aim of providing air connectivity between the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad and the Statue of Unity in Kevadia.
  • The seaplane will be operated by SpiceJet. It is a 19-seater seaplane, which will be able to accommodate 14 passengers.
  • In the next phase, Dharoi dam (Mehsana district) will connect Ambaji and Shatrunjay dam (Bhavnagar district) and Tapi district.

UDAN (Ude Desh ke Aam Nagrik), 2016

  • It is a regional connectivity scheme to develop smaller regional airports to allow easier access to aviation services. It is a part of National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP).
  • Objectives
  1. Operationalization and development of 425 underserved and unserved airports.
  2. Boost inclusive economic development by faster connectivity.
  3. Development of air transport infrastructure in remote areas.
  • It is funded jointly by Center and States. Duration is of 10 years. Airlines are selected through competitive bidding process.
  • Center will provide VGF, concessional GST on tickets, etc.
  • State will provide land for airport, trained security personnel, 20% of VGF. VGF is not give to cargo airlines.
  • Exclusivity for 3 years in routes. 2500 per 1 hour flight.

UDAN Phase 1.0 to 4.0

  • UDAN 1.0: Under this phase, 5 airlines companies were awarded 128 flight routes to 70 airports (including 36 newly made operational airports)
  • UDAN 2.0: In 2018, the MoCA announced 73 underserved and unserved airports. For the first time, helipads were also connected.
  • UDAN 3.0: Inclusion of Tourism Routes in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism. Inclusion of Seaplanes for connecting Water Aerodromes. Bringing in a number of routes in the North-East Region.
  • UDAN 4.0: seeks to offer priority routes connecting Bilaspur and Ambikapur airports in Chhattisgarh.

International UDAN Scheme

  • It is an extension of UDAN to connect India's smaller cities to some key foreign destinations in neighborhood.
  • It will utilise Open Skies policy which India and Asian countries allow direct and unlimited flights to 18 Indian destinations.

Source: IE


Formation Day

On 1st November, eight Indian states—Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu—along with five Union Territories—Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry—celebrate their Formation Day. This date marks an important milestone in India

Turtle (Kachhua) Wildlife Sanctuary

The Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as the Kachhua Sanctuary, is located in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. It is recognised as India’s first freshwater turtle wildlife sanctuary, established to conserve endangered turtle species and support the ecological health of the Ganga River. Location and Extent The sanctuary co

Introduction of AI and Computational Thinking (CT) in

The Ministry of Education plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Thinking (CT) from Class 3 onwards in the 2026–27 academic year. This initiative is part of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The aim is to prepare student

Sal Tree

Scientists from the Environment Department of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) in Shimla have recently revealed that the Sal tree (Shorea robusta) is the most effective natural air purifier for combating rising pollution levels. Their findings highlight the tree’s superior capacity to trap dust, absorb gases, and cleanse the air compared

US Resumes Nuclear Weapon Testing

The President of the United States has ordered the resumption of nuclear weapon testing after a gap of 33 years, the last test being in 1992. This decision marks a significant shift in global nuclear policy and has far-reaching implications for geopolitics, the environment, and international security. Status of Global Nuclear Weapon Testing

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