No Decision To Allow 100% Foreign Equity In N-Plants

The government yesterday asserted in the Lok Sabha that there was no question of India deviating from its stand on nuclear policy and that it had not taken any decision to allow cent per cent foreign equity in nuclear power generation.

Responding to a spate of supplementaries during question hour, the Prime Minister, H D Deve Gowda assured the members that the government would not take any decision on allowing cent per cent equity on setting up nuclear power plants in the country without taking the house into confidence. He said a group of Japanese investors during a meeting with him wanted to know whether the government policy to allow cent cer cent equity in power sector would be extended to nuclear power generation sector also. Gowda said he had merely told them that the government would look into the issue if there was a specific proposal and decide on a case to case basis. The Prime Minister made it clear that there was no specific proposal before the government on the issue.

Narmada height: Members, cutting across party lines, expressed concern in the Lok Sabha yesterday over the situation arising out of the Supreme Court order staying further construction on the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) on the Narmada and urged the government to file a review petition in the matter in the apex court.

Crude production: The government has launched six new schemes costing Rs 2,000 crore to put the crude oil production on ascending order, the minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, T R Balu informed the Lok Sabha.

Action plan: The Centre has forwarded to all states a common minimum national action plan (CMNAP) to be implemented in a time-bound manner to meet the power shortage facing the country, the minister of state for power, S Venugopalachari informed the Lok Sabha.

Rajya Sabha

Kashmir: Defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav yesterday made it categorically clear in the Rajya Sabha that the United Front was following the well laid out policy that Pakistan occupied Kashmir was an integral part of India and we are not going to compromise on this issue.

Textile technology: A technological upgradation fund to enhance the competitive efficiency of textile industry is on the anvil, the textiles minister, R L Jalappa informed the Rajya Sabha yesterday.

Sukhoi: The first lot of eight Sukhoi-30 aircraft will be delivered by Russia this month, the Rajya Sabha was informed yesterday.

Port tenders: Foreign investors can participate in the open competitive tenders invited by various ports for private investment in port facilities, the Rajya Sabha was told.

Nepal water: The Centre is holding discussions with the Nepal government regarding construction of storage reservoirs and embankments on common rivers to benefit both the countries, the Rajya Sabha was informed.