New Delhi, July 7 -- Visuals of the striking new Rajputana-inspired Jodhpur airport terminal, with its sandstone facade, domes, arches, intricately carved columns, murals and artwork, went viral after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the terminal on Saturday.

However, the inauguration also put the spotlight back on UDAN, the government's flagship regional air connectivity scheme, as the PM used the occasion to formally launch its next phase: Viksit UDAN, with a Rs.28,840-crore outlay over the next decade. Why is the government expanding these scheme despite its mixed record? Mint explains.

Launched in 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy, UDAN, short for Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik, was meant to connect India's underserved a...