India, March 4 -- The Bihar government has announced plans to develop 15 airports, a significant increase from the current three, to boost air connectivity in the state at an estimated cost of Rs.11,500 lakh, according to the budget presented in the assembly on Monday.

Deputy chief minister Samrat Chaudhary, who holds the finance portfolio, said in the House in Patna that three airports would be developed at Rajgir in Nalanda district, Sultanganj (Bhagalpur) and Raxaul (Forbesganj), while seven smaller airports would be developed at Bhagalpur, Valmikinagar (West Champaran), Birpur (Supaul), Madhubani, Munger, Saharsa and Muzaffarpur.

These would be taken up under the central government's UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, also known ...