Indo-US nuclear deal beneficial for country to meet challenges: Lalu

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) Rashtriya Janata Dal President and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today defended the Indo-US nuclear deal, saying it was beneficial for the country and would go a long way in helping the country meet its future challenges, especially in the field of energy.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function to launch the book 'Bharat ki Suraksha Chintayein' written by Dr Anil Kumar Singh of Star News, Mr Prasad said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had consulted him and other allies on the 123 Nuclear pact and he had also studied it himself and found it to be beneficial for the country in meeting global challenges through peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Asserting that the agreement would not have any impact on India conducting nuclear tests in future, the Railway Minister that the deal was silent on the issue. ''That is our right.'' Moreover, in case of any difficulty, the country was free to break the agreement in future, he said and added ''This facility is there in the agreement.'' He said that the deal was being opposed in the US also, but ultimately it was passed. So, in India also people need to study it more be it the Left Parties or the BJP. The Railway Minister said that he had understood the deal and soon the others would also do.

He said that India needed a lot of energy in future and the deal would be advantageous in this regard. He said that railway was buying power at the rate of Rs 5,50 per unit at present but with the deal becoming operational the cost of power may go down to Rs 1.50per unit.

UNI