A decade of dilly dallying on amendment to Nuclear Eneregy Act

New Delhi, Aug 29 (UNI) The government has been contemplating for the past one decade on the proposed amendment in the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to facilitate the entry of private players into nuclear power generation, Prithviraj Chauhan, Minister of State in the Prime Minister Office told the Lok Sabha today.

Accusing the government of dilly dallying over the issue for past ten years, members asked the government during the Question Hour how long it would take to come out with requisite amendment for public-private partnership in the nuclear power generation area.

However, the minister did not commit on the time frame for such amendment to the Act but said ''No decision has been taken with regard to private sector participation in nuclear power generation.'' Mr Chauhan said the existing Act allowed nuclear power generation by a Central Government company and added that any private company could be a ''minority partner'' with a public sector company in this area.

He also made it clear that private partnership could be upto 49 per cent with a majority control (51 per cent) with the government company.

The Minister, however, denied that the government had received any formal request from Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) for amending the Act, allowing private players entry into the nuclear power generation.

Even ruling Congress MP Joytiraditya Scindia asked the government from where it would mobilise huge estimated amount of Rs 100,000 crore to achieve its target of raising share of nuclear power generation from existing three per cent to 20 per cent in 2020.

Several members asked the government why the Act should not be amended in such a fashion as to nullify the adverse impact of the 123 agreement of Indo-US nuclear deal.

UNI