The SHANTI bill subsumes all laws dealing with the civil nuclear sector and also opens it up for participation by private players. The bill is widely described as the most significant overhaul of the nuclear sector since Independence.

President Droupadi Murmu granted assent to the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament.

This was confirmed by a government notification, which stated that the President granted assent to the bill on Saturday.

Notably, the Bill subsumes all laws dealing with the civil nuclear sector and also opens it up for the private players.

Repeal of decades-old nuclear laws
Widely described as the most significant overhaul of the nuclear sector since Independence, the bill proposes repealing the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010. These laws have governed the sector for decades and were often cited as barriers to large-scale private participation.

The law gives access to the private companies and joint ventures to build, own, operate and decommission nuclear power plants under a license from the government.

The law specifies that activities such as uranium and thorium mining, enrichment and isotopic separation, reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, management of high-level radioactive waste, and production of heavy water will continue to remain solely under the control of the central government or its owned entities.

Govt targets 100GW nuclear capacity
Speaking during the discussion in the Lok Sabha, Dr Jitendra Singh said the legislation would reshape India's developmental path. "The proposed legislation further aims to facilitate significant growth in nuclear energy and its applications across multiple sectors. This aligns with the country’s target to establish 100GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047," he said.

What is SHANTI Bill?
The bill aims to strengthen India's nuclear power programme while enabling wider application of nuclear science and technology across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, water, food processing, industry, research and environmental protection. It also seeks to modernise the regulatory architecture in view of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence-enabled nuclear and radiation applications.

The proposed legislation provides for a robust licensing and safety authorisation regime for the production, use and management of nuclear energy and radioactive substances. It lays down detailed provisions governing the establishment, operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants, research reactors, fuel fabrication facilities and radiation facilities. 

The bill also opens avenues for participation by public sector entities, government companies, joint ventures and other companies, subject to strict national security and safety safeguards.