Dont allow pvt firms over PSUs in nuclear sector: Jairam Ramesh on SHANTI bill

New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Thursday urged the government not to promote the private sector at the cost of public sector in building nuclear power infrastructure and called for encouraging available indigenous technology to boost the energy capacity in the country.

He also said that private firms cannot be the growth engine of nuclear sector as they cannot be brought over the country's PSUs.

Participating in the debate in Rajya Sabha on the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) bill, he opposed it saying there is need for further consultations before bringing such a crucial legislation.

The bill seeks to open the tightly-controlled civil nuclear sector for private participation.

"All nuclear reactors in France are in government control. About 70 per cent of electricity generated in France is nuclear energy. All nuclear plants in France are owned by the government. It is seven times of the NPCIL capacity. This means you can encourage NPCIL to set up more nuclear energy plants," he said.

He further stated that the government has many compulsion like the US, foreign firms, domestic private firms, but a bill should not be introduced in compulsion.

"If we ignore our public sector and promote private sector then it is not in the interest of our nation. I am a supporter of the private sector. Private investment should come. But it cannot be (growth) engine," Ramesh said.

He noted that there was joint venture between NPCIL and NTPC in 2009 and urged the government to encourage such joint ventures. "Our country has capability. We have set up 220MW, 540 MW and 700 MW (nuclear) power plants." He urged the government to make 700MW plant as workhorse and don't bring reactors from different countries.

"We are self-reliant in 700 MW plants and I urge you to standardise that. Don't bring this vendor-driven bill.You brought three farm bills which you had to take back. This bill should not have that fate," he said.

He urged the government to promote the indigenous technology and achieve 100GW target by using and standardising 700MW plant.

"I know that there are three private firms in this country which would take benefit of this bill. You ask those three companies to use Indian technology," he said.

He told the House that Homi Bhabha had said that first phase of the nuclear programme will use uranium followed by plutonium/thorium and third phase will be thorium/uranium.

He noted that India has one fourth of world's thorium reserves.

"Scientists have said that thorium should be used in first phase. So that we go straightaway in third phase. Our ultimate goal is to use thorium reserves in the country. If we buy uranium from other countries then what about the energy security," he said.

He stated that this bill is against the bill passed in 2010.

"Why are you negating the efforts of Arun Jaitley. But you are expert in taking U-turns...on GST, MNREGA, Food Security law. Now you are taking U-turn on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill . Why are you doing that. What is the compulsion?", he said.

Participating in the debate, BJP MP Kiran Chaudhary said this bill seeks to end fragmentation and create one modern nuclear law.

She said former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundations of nuclear power in the country which PM Narendra Modi is now taking forward.

Chaudhary, who has been previously with the Congress party, alleged that the there was policy paralysis during the previous regime and this government is seeking to put an end to that.

On issue of privatisation, she said,"We know how to protect the nation. How to protect the interest of our country. In this bill very stringent strict licensing safety and security approvals by the central government, are incorporated." PTI KKS SKC ANU