New Delhi: Prime minister Manmohan Singh
said on Wednesday the country`s nuclear energy programme has allowed India to "think big" and that power from nuclear plants would
reduce its over dependence on fossil fuels and combat climate
change over the next decades.
He also said there will be "huge opportunities for the
global nuclear industry to participate" in India`s nuclear
industry which is "poised for major expansion".
India sees increased power production as key to sustain
its economic growth. The country currently relies on imports
for about 70 per cent of its oil needs and the Planning
Commission estimates that about 600 million people are not on
the national grid.
Addressing an international conference on peaceful uses
of atomic energy here, Singh said that 470,000 megawatts of
energy could come from Indian nuclear power stations by 2050.
"This will sharply reduce our dependence on fossil fuels
and will be a major contribution to global efforts to combat
climate change."
The Prime Minister told delegates at the conference that
India is looking forward to the "full and effective"
implementation of the agreements it signed with the
international community and their reciprocal commitments.
Bureau Report
