PM makes strong pitch for passage of nuclear liability bill

PM-NUCLEAR

New Delhi, May 24 (PTI) Making a strong pitch for passage
of the nuclear liability bill, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh Monday said all political parties interested in ensuring
that India's atomic power programme moves forward will support
it.
"All political parties interested in India's growth,
interested in ensuring that India's nuclear power programme
moves forward will support it," he said to a question on the
controversial Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill.
Singh said the passage of the legislation was necessary
if India wanted to become a major nuclear energy power.
"We have the need to ensure that our country does have an
effective nuclear liability compensation arrangement. This we
need if we have to become a major nuclear energy power," the
Prime Minister said.
The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010, fixes
the maximum amount of liability in case of a nuclear accident
at Rs 500 crore, to be paid by the operator of the nuclear
plant.
Opposition parties argue this amount was too little and
want the government to hike it.
The passage of the bill is a key requirement for
implementing the landmark 2008 India-US nuclear deal.
"I have no doubt that as far as the nuclear agreement
with the US is concerned it will move forward," Singh said.
The government tabled the bill in the Lok Sabha (Lower
House of Indian Parliament) earlier this month which has since
been referred to Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science
and Technology. PTI SKU
RBT


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