Parliament approves Nuclear Bill; SOP puts safety first, says MoS
The Bill, passed by LS Wednesday, was introduced in Rajya Sabha Thursday and passed by a voice vote.
Replying to the discussion, Union MoS for Atomic Energy, Jitendra Singh, however, asserted that the safety provisions and their SOPs in the Bill are the same as in the Atomic Energy Act of 1962.
The Rajya Sabha Thursday passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, which seeks to open up the nuclear power sector to private players and limits the liability of suppliers in case of an accident.
The Bill, passed by LS Wednesday, was introduced in Rajya Sabha Thursday and passed by a voice vote.
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Replying to the discussion, Union MoS for Atomic Energy, Jitendra Singh, however, asserted that the safety provisions and their SOPs in the Bill are the same as in the Atomic Energy Act of 1962. “The SOP in place clearly mentions ‘safety first, second production’.”
He said that existing Atomic Energy Regulatory Board had been given statutory power under the Bill, adding that source material, fissile material and spent fuel will remain in government’s custody.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said, “Don’t neglect the public sector, and encourage the private sector in its place… I am in favour of private sector… private investment cannot be the engine. The engine needs to be the public sector.” Responding to TMC MP Sagarika Ghose’s question if the Bill was being brought to favour “crony capitalists”, Singh said the liability had been graded so that smaller players who want to set up small modular nuclear reactors can do so.
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DMK’s P Wilson said the Bill would lead to removal of government oversight and termed it a “reckless, dangerous and deeply flawed attempt to privatise an essential function”. with inputs from Abhinaya Hargovind
Replying to the discussion, Union MoS for Atomic Energy, Jitendra Singh, however, asserted that the safety provisions and their SOPs in the Bill are the same as in the Atomic Energy Act of 1962. 
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