Nuclear expansion on agenda of PM visit to Russia

The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia is expected to see the two countries deciding on expansion of nuclear programme, government told the Lok Sabha today.
Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh said the earlier visits of the Prime Minister to various countries were also marked by signing of agreements to procure uranium and give boost the nuclear programme.
"I would like to point out that one of the major achievements of the Prime Minister's foreign trips in the last few months is the reinforcement of our uranium and our nuclear programme," he said.
Singh said the pacts signed during Modi's foreign visits included an agreement with Canada in April for procuring 5,000 metric tonne (MT) of uranium.

"During his (PM) visit to Kazakhstan, we could finalise a deal for 7,000 MT uranium. During his visit to Australia, a Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, which had waited for several years, was finalised," the minister said while replying to questions.
He said during Modi's visit the US, a deal was finalised for the construction of nuclear reactors in Gujarat and during the visit to France, a deal was finalised with AREVA, world's leading nuclear power company.

"For the visit of the Prime Minister to Russia, a programme has been finalised for expansion of nuclear programme," he said about the trip expected later this month.

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The Minister in PMO said another important achievement ever since the Modi government came to power in May 2014 was to seek collaborations with other countries besides achieving a position where India can lend help to other countries.
"For example, we are now offering training to Bangladesh and the neighbouring countries in the nuclear reactor programme," Jitendra Singh said.
Replying to a question of AIADMK member V Elumalai, Singh said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has expressed special concern over closure of the Kudankulam nuclear plant due to some maintenance works.
"The plant having got delayed in its functioning. But we are already, under the instructions of the Prime Minister, working on it and in the times to come, not only one but we would have two plants in Tamil Nadu.

"We will have one in Kudankulam and one in Kalpakkam also. They would be of a higher capacity than the existing plants. So, the capacity of the new plants would be almost three times than that of the earlier plants that exist in the country," he said.
Singh said the number of accidental deaths, which are unnatural deaths, of the scientists working in the nuclear plants in India is very few.
"The unnatural deaths have happened because of either road accidents, suicides or poisoning, but never because of any radiation. So, I think that itself should be a reassurance," he said.

The Minister described the introduction of the Atomic Energy Bill, 2015 in Lok Sabha on Monday as a "historic steps" saying for the first time in the history of independent India, government seeks to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1962.