Parliament on Monday adopted the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010, with the Rajya Sabha passing it by voice vote, rejecting some Left amendments, paving the way for India to conduct nuclear business with the world.
The BJP supported the bill after the government agreed to address its concerns on suppliers’ liability. The government also said the compensation package for victims matched that in the US. The Lok Sabha passed it on August 25.
PMO minister of state Prithviraj Chavan, who had piloted the legislation and concluded the debate, complimented Dr T. Subbarami Reddy, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee which examined the bill, on behalf of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Mr Chavan also reassured the House: “This is not finality. We will take care of every single suggestion. If required, the bill will be changed for the better. We will keep the suggestions in mind when we frame rules and regulations.”
Mr Chavan said the bill provides for prompt “no-fault” relief to victims in the event of a nuclear accident without bypassing existing criminal laws. On the quantum of compensation of `1,500 crores on the part of the operator, the minister said this amount, along with 300 million SDRs, is exactly the same provided for in the US. Besides this, the bill also provides for setting up a compensation fund. Mr Chavan also thanked Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley and other MPs for their support.