PM makes strong pitch for passage of nuclear liability bill

Making a strong pitch for passage of the nuclear liability bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said all political parties interested in ensuring that India's atomic power programme moves forward will support it.

"All political parties interested in India's growth, interested in ensuring that India's nuclear power programme moves forward will support it," he said to a question on the controversial Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill.

Singh said the passage of the legislation was necessary if India wanted to become a major nuclear energy power.

"We have the need to ensure that our country does have an effective nuclear liability compensation arrangement. This we need if we have to become a major nuclear energy power," the Prime Minister said.

The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010, fixes the maximum amount of liability in case of a nuclear accident at Rs 500 crore, to be paid by the operator of the nuclear plant.

Opposition parties argue this amount was too little and want the government to hike it.

The passage of the bill is a key requirement for implementing the landmark 2008 India-US nuclear deal.

"I have no doubt that as far as the nuclear agreement with the US is concerned it will move forward," Singh said.

The government tabled the bill in the Lok Sabha earlier this month which has since been referred to Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology.