New Era for Nuclear Energy: SHANTI Bill Revolutionizes Sector

The SHANTI Bill, now approved by President Droupadi Murmu, updates laws governing India's civil nuclear energy sector, inviting private sector participation. It repeals outdated legislation, allowing businesses to operate nuclear plants under government licenses, while leaving sensitive activities to the central government or its entities.

In a significant development for India's energy sector, President Droupadi Murmu has approved the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill. The legislation, endorsed by Parliament during the Winter Session, marks a transformative approach for the nation's civil nuclear policy framework.

The SHANTI Bill subsumes existing nuclear energy laws, notably repealing the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010. These outdated restrictions previously hampered the sector's growth. With the bill's passage, private enterprises gain the ability to construct, manage, and decommission nuclear power facilities under a governmental license.

Despite opening the door to private investment, the legislation stipulates that uranium and thorium mining, isotopic separation, and other sensitive operations remain under the jurisdiction of the central government or its subsidiaries. This ensures that key aspects of the sector continue to be managed securely by government entities.

(With inputs from agencies.)