Question : Independent Nuclear Safety Authority

(a)whether the country has no independent regulatory authority to enforce safety standards and regulate the function of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) and if so, the details thereof;

(b)whether the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has concluded that the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) lacks the necessary autonomy to enforce and review practices as it functions as a subordinate body of the Central Government;

(c) if so, whether the Government proposes to consider urgent measures to either restructure the AERB to make it autonomous or constitute an independent nuclear safety authority to implement strict safety protocols throughout the country; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR, PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER''S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

(a)The Government of India has established the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) as a regulatory body empowered to enforce safety standards and regulate the functioning of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). AERB is functionally independent from the Government and the facilities it regulates and has adequate powers with respect to its mandate of enforcing Safety regulation of nuclear and radiation facilities in the country.

(b)No Sir. The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission conducted by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in March 2015 has acknowledged that AERB has functional independence as the regulator.

(c) &(d)In order to give statutory strength to our national nuclear regulator - Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and to convert its functional independence into de jure independence, the proposal for setting up a Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority has been under consideration. Accordingly, Government had introduced the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority Bill, 2011 (NSRA) in the Lok Sabha in September 2011. The Bill could not be taken up for consideration before the dissolution of 15th Lok Sabha and expired. A fresh Bill is under examination and processing.

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