Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu on Friday chaired a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Civil Aviation in Mysuru, Karnataka, where discussions focused on the next phase of the UDAN scheme, reforms in the Flying Training Organisation (FTO) ecosystem and the transformation of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA).
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol was also present at the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Members of Parliament Gopal Jee Thakur from Darbhanga, Bihar; Anup Sanjay Dhotre from Akola, Maharashtra; Sayani Ghosh from Jadavpur, West Bengal; Kamakhya Prasad Tasa from Kaziranga, Assam; M. Dhanapal, Rajya Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu; Ramrao Sakharam Wadkute, Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra; and Mysuru MP Yaduveer Chamaraja Wadiyar.
According to the ministry, this was the first meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to be held outside Delhi since 2017.
Addressing the committee, Naidu said India’s aviation growth was increasingly moving beyond major destinations and was no longer limited to airport development.
“Driven by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of UDAN, aviation is increasingly becoming an engine of regional development and inclusive economic growth, benefiting farmers, exporters, businesses and communities. At the same time, India is leading the next wave of aviation innovation through drones and eVTOLs, while advancing reforms in sectors like MRO and air cargo,” he said.
Highlighting the impact of the UDAN scheme, the minister said around ₹10,000 crore had been invested over the past decade in airport development and viability gap funding for airlines.
“We are now taking this ambition to a new scale with an unprecedented award of ₹28,840 crore under the Next Phase of UDAN,” Naidu said.
The committee was also briefed on reforms aimed at strengthening the FTO ecosystem and improving the availability of trained pilots while maintaining high standards of safety and training.
The number of FTOs has increased from 32 in 2020 to 41 in 2026, while the number of flying bases has risen from 32 to 63. The FTO ranking framework, introduced under the directions of the Civil Aviation Minister, has been aimed at improving transparency and accountability and helping aspiring pilots make informed choices while selecting training institutions.
Highlighting the growing demand for skilled aviation professionals, Naidu said Indian airlines had placed aircraft orders on an unprecedented scale.
“Aircraft orders are only one part of the story. These aircraft will need a skilled and safety-conscious workforce to fly them. We do not want to import the workforce to operate India’s aviation growth. We want to train that workforce right here in India,” he said.
The committee also reviewed the transformation of IGRUA, where aircraft utilisation has increased substantially to an average of 1,765 flying hours per aircraft annually, compared with a global benchmark of around 1,500 hours.
The institution has also recorded a budget surplus for the first time after more than two decades of recurring deficits, the ministry said.
Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, Director General of Civil Aviation Vir Vikram Yadav, Airports Authority of India Chairman Vipin Kumar, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security Director General Rajesh Nirwan and other senior officials were present to brief the members.
The minister appreciated the suggestions made by the committee members and said they would be duly considered while taking forward initiatives for the continued growth and development of India’s civil aviation sector.
