Modi government mulling to open Nuclear sector to private companies
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Union government is working on opening India’s nuclear sector to private companies, describing the move as an important step towards strengthening the country’s energy security and technological growth.
Modi made the remarks while addressing, through video conference, the inauguration of Skyroot Aerospace’s new rocket manufacturing facility, the Infinity Campus. He said the scope of economic reforms is expanding, and drew a connection to earlier changes that allowed private participation in the space sector.
According to the prime minister, the nuclear sector will see similar opportunities. “A strong role for the private sector is being laid in this field, which will create opportunities in small modular reactors, advanced reactors, and nuclear innovation,” he said. Modi added that such participation would “give new strength to India’s energy security and technological leadership.”
India has set a long-term target of installing 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2047 under the Viksit Bharat mission. At present, research and development in the nuclear sector is restricted, with no provision for joint ventures between public sector undertakings and private companies. The government now plans to widen this framework.
To enable greater private involvement, the Centre is preparing to introduce a Bill in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament to amend the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.
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Electorate in 9 states, UTs shrink by 1.70 crore after SIR
New Delhi (PTI): Voter base in nine states and Union territories has shrunk by more than 1.70 crore following the publication of final electoral rolls as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), according to official data.
The data shared by the chief electoral officers of Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa and Kerala on Saturday showed that their combined voter base stood at over 21.45 crore before the SIR exercise began on October 27 last year.
It shrunk to 19.75 crore after publication of their final electoral rolls this week, a net change of over 1.70 crore electors.
While the exercise, which kept the Election Commission in the spotlight, has been completed in Bihar, it is currently underway in 12 states and Union territories covering nearly 60 crore electors.
The remaining 40 crore electors will be covered in 17 states and five Union territories.
In Assam, a "special revision", instead of SIR, was completed on February 10.
Due to a variety of reasons, the SIR in the nine states and three Union territories have seen frequent tweaking in schedules.
As in Bihar, political parties have approached the Supreme Court challenging the exercise in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
