PIB Summary- 26th May, 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

UDAN 5.1 Scheme

Why in News?
Recently, Ministry of Civil Aviation launched UDAN 5.1, specifically designed for helicopter routes.

About UDAN 5.1 Scheme

• Expanded Operations: The scheme allows operators to fly routes where one of the origin or destination locations is in a priority area, increasing the scope of operations. Previously, both points had to be in priority areas.
• Reduced Airfare Caps: Airfare caps for helicopter flights have been reduced by up to 25%, making flying in helicopters more affordable for passengers.
• Increased Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Caps: VGF caps for operators of both single and twin-engine helicopters have been substantially increased. This increase aims to enhance the financial viability of operating the awarded routes.
• Existing Helicopter Routes: Previous rounds of the UDAN scheme have already made 46 helicopter routes operational, benefiting hilly and North-East states. The current round aims to cover an even larger number of routes, expanding the reach of air connectivity.

About Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN)

• It is a regional airport development and “Regional Connectivity Scheme” (RCS) of the Union Government of India.
• The scheme envisages providing connectivity to un-served and under-served airports of the country through the revival of existing airstrips and airports.

Objective

• To create affordable yet economically viable and profitable flights on regional routes so that flying becomes affordable to the common man even in small towns.
• To stimulate regional air connectivity and making air travel affordable to the masses.
• The scheme envisages providing connectivity to un-served and underserved airports of the country through the revival of existing air-strips and airports. The scheme is operational for a period of 10 years.
• UDAN is a market driven ongoing scheme where bidding rounds are conducted periodically for covering more destinations/stations and routes under the scheme.
• Interested airlines assess the demand on particular routes connecting these airports and submit their proposals at the time of bidding.

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 Ministry of Civil Aviation announced 73 underserved and unserved airports.
• For the first time, helipads were also connected under phase 2 of UDAN scheme.

UDAN 3.0
Key Features of UDAN 3 included:

• Inclusion of Tourism Routes under UDAN 3 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 under the ambit of UDAN.

 UDAN 4.0

• The 4th round of UDAN was launched in December 2019 with a special focus on North-Eastern Regions, Hilly States, and Islands.
• The airports that had already been developed by Airports Authority of India (AAI) are given higher priority for the award of VGF (Viability Gap Funding) under the Scheme.
• Under UDAN 4, the operation of helicopter and seaplanes is also been incorporated.

Sodium-ion Batteries

Why in News?
Recently, Indian scientists have made a significant breakthrough in the development of Sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries by creating new cathode materials that offer high performance, cost-effectiveness, and environmental stability.

New Developments in Cathode Materials for Sodium-ion Batteries

• Cathode material serves as the electrode storing sodium ions during battery discharge.
• It facilitates electrochemical reactions for the flow of electrical current.
• Newly developed cathode materials are known for their air/water stability and high performance.
• They demonstrate excellent cyclic stability and resistance to air/water exposure.

Importance

• Newly developed cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries offer significant benefits.
• They deliver high performance while being cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
• These materials are driving the development of efficient and sustainable energy storage systems.
• Applications include consumer electronics, grid energy storage, renewable energy storage, and electric vehicles.

Sodium-ion (Na-ion) Batteries

•  A sodium-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery comparable to the ubiquitous lithium-ion battery, but it uses sodium ions (Na+) as the charge carriers rather than lithium ions (Li+).
• The working principles and cell construction of sodium-ion batteries are similar to lithium-ion batteries, but sodium compounds are used instead of lithium compounds.
• Na-ion batteries are gaining attention as a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to their lower cost, higher availability, and reduced environmental impact.

Importance

• With the increasing importance of battery-powered electric vehicles in addressing climate and environmental concerns, there is a need for cost-effective, resource-friendly, safe, and sustainable battery systems beyond lithium-ion.
• The abundance of sodium sources in India makes sodium-ion batteries particularly significant, as they offer a readily available and abundant resource for battery production.

Challenges

• The performance of sodium-ion batteries relies on factors such as electrode stability, sodium-ion transport kinetics, and dynamic resistances.
• Further improvements are needed in the electrochemical behavior and stability of sodium-based cathode materials for widespread adoption of sodium-ion battery systems.