Nuclear energy essential for India: Manmohan Singh

New Delhi, Mar 24 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said nuclear energy is essential for the country's needs and the Government is committed to the development of nuclear energy as an environment friendly source of power.

After laying the foundation stone for the gas-based 1,500 MW "Pragati Phase-III Power Project" at Bawana in West Delhi at an estimated cost of Rs 4,500 crore, Singh said that some sources of energy might be cheap today, but the country needed to think for the future generations as it was necessary to meet increasing electricity demand. "Our energy needs are bound to grow. We will be failing in the duty to our nation and to posterity if we do not look ahead and take steps for not just today and tomorrow but for future generations," Singh said.

Singh further said that the country was blessed with abundant solar energy but it would be sometime before this source could be tapped in large quantity and hence we must widen our energy basket to ensure energy security.

"We don't have the luxury of depending upon only one or two resources," he said.

"The economy is growing at 8-9 per cent per annum. With growing urbanisation and rising prosperity, the demand for electricity is outpacing existing sources of supply," Singh said adding that India needs to widen its choices for electricity, which should include alternative resources like nuclear power.

"The Government is trying to develop hydro-electricity, but we have to also keep in mind the environmental concerns and concerns about people displaced by mining and dams," he said

He also said the Government is doing everything possible to make Delhi a world class city and expressed confidence that Delhi would host 2010 Commonwealth Games successfully.

ANI