India's 1st regional flight at Rs 2,500 per hour fare may take off next year

India is likely to see first regional flight at Rs 2,500 per hour fare from January next year, said the government. 



"We are likely to see the first regional flights to take off during the month of January next year," said aviation minister Ashok Gajapati Raju. 

He added that the government is cautiously optimistic about the scheme. 

He announced this at an event to officially announce the regional connectivity scheme that has been named UDAN, acronym for Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik means common man should fly. 

The scheme, cleared by the Modi government in June this year, aims at operating regional flights by capping fares at Rs 2,500 for per hour of flight. 

The scheme is to be funded by a small levy on flight landings at key airports in the country. "The levy will be a nominal levy and will formally be announced by October 31, 2016," said aviation secretary R N Chaubey. 

(culled from economictimes.indiatimes.com)