What happened to govt. on promise of allowing private sector investment in nuclear power sector, asks Congress

The Congress on Tuesday (August 26, 2025) questioned the government’s proposal to allow private companies to set up and run nuclear power plants by amending two existing laws pertaining to the sector.

The Opposition party asked if the government plans to bring the Bills in the winter session of Parliament and whether it will also bring a Bill to establish an independent regulatory body that is not part of the atomic energy establishment.

Budget announcement

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the 2025-26 Union Budget, had made promises to give a boost to nuclear energy by amending the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, and the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, to allow private companies into the nuclear power generation sector.

“However, somewhat surprisingly, neither of these two Bills were even introduced in the recently-concluded session of Parliament. Will the Bills be introduced in the Winter session three months hence? Moreover, what about a Bill to establish an independent regulatory body that is not part of the atomic energy establishment?” Mr. Ramesh said, adding that a Bill for the regulator is essential to encourage private investment.

“It also bears recall that with the full support of the-then PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, both Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj had played an important role in finalising the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010. The proposed amendments will undo what they had accomplished,” the Congress leader further said.