Civil Use of Atomic Energy

The radiation and radioisotope technologies have been successfully and extensively deployed as non-power applications for societal benefit in Agriculture, Healthcare and Industry in addition to generation of electrical power (present Installed capacity being 4780 Mwe) through nuclear fission . These applications have made considerable impact in terms of (a) availability of improved varieties of crop plants (especially, oil seeds and pulses), (b) improving microbiological safety of food and enhancement of shelf-life of certain vegetables and fruit, their export and (c) diagnosis of and treatment of several health conditions, particularly, cancer and (d) industrial radiography. In addition, the radiation and isotope technologies are also used for material modification, quality contraol of manufactured components, industrial trouble shooting and process optimisation, augmenting water resources in arid and dry regions etc.

The major non-power applications of isotope & radiation technology are carried out through Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT) in the areas of Health Care, Industrial Application and also Research & Development. About 9 projects have been sanctioned with a cost of Rs. 128 crores.

There are projects of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in the field of Agriculture, Food preservation and Healthcare and Radiation Biology, industries for civil use of nuclear energy. Three rounds of negotiations have been held so far. Discussions are continuing on a draft Nuclear Cooperation with Japan.

The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office Sh V Narayanasamy gave this information in a written reply to a question by Shri Tarun Vijay in Rajya Sabha today.

KP