Now Reading: NPCIL seeks enhanced financial powers for nuclear expansion
-
01
NPCIL seeks enhanced financial powers for nuclear expansion
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has asked the government to grant its board greater financial and administrative autonomy, similar to Maharatna public sector undertakings, to speed up decision-making. A…
The Story in Brief
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has asked the government to grant its board greater financial and administrative autonomy, similar to Maharatna public sector undertakings, to speed up decision-making. A parliamentary standing committee noted the demand in a report tabled in Parliament last week, as India aims to generate 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047 under the Viksit Bharat vision.
The committee also flagged delays due to multi-stage reviews, environmental consent procedures, and varied state-level issues. NPCIL has separately sought GST waivers and inclusion of nuclear power under the national green taxonomy, at par with renewables. The Department of Atomic Energy acknowledged the committee's observations but gave no timeline for implementing the proposed reforms. The committee further recommended stronger state government participation in land acquisition, infrastructure, and local welfare.
The Indian Opinion
This demand for Maharatna-like autonomy is sensible, but the real test is whether the government will respond with concrete timelines. The committee's support is one thing; the DAE's silence on process is another. Nuclear power cannot compete with renewables if it remains tangled in multi-stage clearances and lacks GST waivers. Watch for the next budget: will NPCIL get the financial freedom it asks for, or will bureaucratic caution prevail?
Source: businesstoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
