Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra has said that the Government is planning to open up the atomic energy sector like the space sector. Mr Mishra was addressing the 68th batch of scientific officers at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Training School in Mumbai yesterday. He said, timely completion, access to low-cost finance, and leveraging private sector capabilities are key to lowering tariffs and improving feasibility of nuclear projects. Mr. Mishra encouraged researchers to innovate in cost reduction strategies to make nuclear energy India’s preferred power source.
Citing the successful opening of the space sector, Mr. Mishra said similar initiatives are envisaged for atomic energy, which is essential for clean energy and national security. He highlighted the societal impact of nuclear energy and cited the use of radioisotopes for cancer care, and radiation technologies for wastewater treatment and agricultural storage.
Mr. Mishra noted that the government had sanctioned 50 multi-product food irradiation units for the MSME sector under the 2024-25 Union Budget. He also highlighted the key announcements from the Budget 2024-25 such as Research and Development support for Bharat Small Modular Reactors and advanced nuclear technologies and a targeted expansion to 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047, with proposed amendments to relevant legislations enabling private sector participation.
