India Approves Palasa Airport Project Under UDAN Scheme

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu announced that a new airport will be built in Palasa, Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh under the central government's UDAN regional connectivity scheme. The airport will be developed on about 500 acres by the Airports Authority of India, with full government funding and no private sector hand‑over.

The project aims to improve air links, spur industrial development and create local employment, reducing migration from the backward‑tagged region. Around 500 acres adjacent to the airfield will be earmarked for industrial establishments, with a policy giving priority to local residents for jobs. Land acquisition will follow the Land Acquisition Act, with fair compensation and no village relocations. The airport is part of Andhra Pradesh’s broader plan to build nine new airports with an estimated investment of roughly US$1 billion, alongside other infrastructure such as the Mulapeta Port.