New Delhi, December 17 (ANI): The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, marking a major overhaul of India’s nuclear energy framework and opening the sector to private participation. The Bill was passed amid a walkout by Opposition members during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
The proposed legislation seeks to repeal the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, replacing them with a comprehensive, modern legal framework aligned with contemporary technological, economic, and energy realities.
Introducing the Bill, Union Minister of Science and Technology and Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh described it as a historic reform that would transform India’s developmental trajectory and benefit future generations. Replying to the debate, he said the Bill balances expansion with stringent safety, security, and regulatory safeguards, many of which have been strengthened rather than diluted.
The SHANTI Bill allows participation by public sector entities, government companies, joint ventures, and private firms, subject to strict national security and safety conditions. It promotes the development and application of nuclear energy and ionising radiation across sectors including power generation, healthcare, agriculture, water management, food processing, industry, research, environmental protection, and innovation in nuclear science and technology.
A key objective of the Bill is to enable India to achieve 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2047, supporting the country’s clean energy transition and ensuring reliable, round-the-clock power for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
The legislation provides statutory backing to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), designating it as the central authority for nuclear safety, radiation protection, security, and safeguards, with enhanced powers of inspection, investigation, and enforcement. The AERB is also mandated to improve public outreach while protecting sensitive information.
The Bill establishes a robust licensing and safety authorisation regime covering the entire lifecycle of nuclear facilities, including establishment, operation, and decommissioning. It also introduces a detailed framework for civil liability for nuclear damage, capping operator liability at the rupee equivalent of 300 million Special Drawing Rights, with the Central Government assuming liability beyond that limit in specified cases. Operators will be required to maintain mandatory insurance or financial security.
Strategic activities such as uranium enrichment, spent fuel reprocessing, and high-level radioactive waste management remain reserved exclusively for the Central Government or its wholly owned entities, in line with India’s three-stage nuclear power programme and closed fuel cycle policy. At the same time, selected research and innovation activities are exempted from licensing to encourage scientific advancement and private-sector involvement.
The Bill also provides for the creation of specialised bodies, including the Atomic Energy Redressal Advisory Council and the Nuclear Damage Claims Commission, to adjudicate disputes and compensation claims. Stringent penalties have been prescribed for violations, along with powers of search, seizure, and investigation.
Responding to Opposition criticism, the Minister said several parties had opposed the Bill without a thorough reading, stressing that the legislation enhances safety mechanisms while granting greater operational autonomy to authorised private participants.
Once enacted, the SHANTI Bill is expected to lay the foundation for a safe, secure, and sustainable expansion of nuclear energy in India, while enabling long-term utilisation of the country’s abundant thorium resources. (ANI)
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