NDA members strongly support nuclear bill; Opposition seeks examination by JPC

NEW DELHI: Opposition MPs Wednesday strongly pitched for sending the nuclear energy bill moved by the government to a parliamentary panel for wider consultations while members from the ruling coalition “wholeheartedly” supported the legislation saying it will prove helpful in making the country energy sufficient.Participating in the debate on the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, which seeks to open the tightly-controlled civil nuclear sector for private participation, BJP member Shashank Mani said every Indian will be benefitted from the bill, which has come due to the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.He said the bill will facilitate government and private sectors investment in nuclear energy sector, generating employment while protecting the environment.Mani said the legislation will ensure that nuclear energy will be used in all sectors specially the emerging industries.He said the US, which is the world’s largest energy consumer, gets 30 per cent energy from nuclear sector and 80 per cent of this nuclear energy is produced by the private sector.Appreciating the allocation of Rs 20,000 crore in the last budget for Small Moduler Reactors (SMR), the BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh said the bill will create modern infrastructure for nuclear energy sector and all such plants will be constructed after complying international standards.He said in the bill, definition of nuclear energy and power has been defined, it addresses long standing concerns of public health and maintaining the liabilities as per international standards.Samajwadi Party member Aditya Yadav, while participating the debate, strongly opposed it saying the bill will offer red carpet welcome to the foreign companies “ignoring the country’s interest”.”This is an attempt to bring US and French companies. If you are opening up the nuclear energy sector to foreign companies, where is your Make In India programme,” he asked.



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