Government introduces bills to open nuclear sector to private players

The Centre on Monday introduced three key bills in the Lok Sabha, including legislation to open the civil nuclear sector to private players, overhaul nuclear liability norms, and grant greater autonomy to higher educational institutions

New Delhi: The government introduced three new bills in the Lok Sabha on Monday, including one to open up the tightly controlled civil nuclear sector to private players.

The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, also introduced on Monday, seeks to facilitate universities and other higher educational institutions to become independent and self-governing, with a robust and transparent system of accreditation and autonomy.

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Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan introduced the bill. The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill seeks to open the civil nuclear power sector for private participation and overhaul the liability regime.

The SHANTI Bill, introduced by Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh, seeks to repeal the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.

“The bill seeks to provide for a pragmatic civil liability regime for nuclear damage and to confer statutory status to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board,” Jitendra Singh said. The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2025, was introduced by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to repeal 71 laws that have outlived their utility in the statute books.

Of the 71 laws, 65 are amendments to principal Acts, and six are principal laws. Opposition members Manish Tewari, N K Premachandran, Saugata Roy, and Jothimani opposed the bill, contending that it was circulated late and they had little opportunity to study the draft legislation.