Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's remarks on the occasion of the conferment of the Department of Atomic Energy's Lifetime Achievement Awards 2009

We are gathered here today for a very special purpose - the conferment of the Department of Atomic Energy's Lifetime Achievement Award for 2009 to four of our most distinguished scientists.

I extend my heartiest congratulations to Shri N. Srinivasan and I am sure you will all join me in sending him a message of speedy recovery to normal health, Dr. V. K. Iya, Professor Obaid Siddiqi and Shri V. K. Mehra and their families for having been chosen for this highly prestigious award of the Atomic Energy fraternity. They have individually excelled in their areas of specialization, in many ways they have become leaders and role models and it is for me a great sense of pride to be here on this occasion in the company of such dedicated and committed scientist from the Atomic Energy fraternity.

Today India has fully demonstrated its capabilities in all the scientific and technological aspects associated with the design, development, construction, operation and maintenance of nuclear reactors and associated fuel cycle facilities. We owe this to the success of the indigenous three-stage programme whose foundation was laid by Dr. Homi Bhabha.

The decades of nuclear isolation under which our nuclear programme evolved has fortunately ended. India is now an active participant in international civil nuclear cooperation. This has brought with it new opportunities as well as new responsibilities. I have no doubt that the opening of the doors of international cooperation will help us in our efforts to enhance our energy security.

For a large and fast growing economy like ours, it is imperative that we tap all sources of energy, and diversify our energy mix. Nuclear energy has the potential of playing an increasingly important role in giving our country energy independence from traditional and often polluting sources of energy.

The tragedy at the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant in Japan has raised world-wide concerns about the safety of nuclear energy as a source of power. It is vitally important to address these concerns.

The people of India have to be convinced about the safety and security of our own nuclear power plants. We should bring greater openness and transparency in the decision making processes relating to our nuclear energy programme and improve our capacity to respond to the public desire to be kept informed about decisions and issues that are of concern to them. I would like to see accountability and transparency in the functioning of our nuclear power plants.

The safety track record of our nuclear power plants over the past 335 reactor�years of operation has been impeccable. I congratulate all our scientists and engineers for this achievement. But, we cannot be complacent.

The Government will take all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of our plants. I have already directed a technical review of all safety systems of our nuclear power plants using the best expertise available in our country. The future reactors that will be built in India will have to be certified by the Indian regulatory authority and meet its safety standards. This will apply equally to reactors and technologies that are imported from abroad.

We will strengthen the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and make it a truly autonomous and independent regulatory authority. We will ensure that it is of the highest and the best international standards.

Our nuclear scientists and technologists are second to none. Your record proves that you have always risen to the challenge. I am confident that you will attain new heights of excellence for the welfare and benefit of our country. In this you will have the full support of the government.

With these words, I once again congratulate the four recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award and wish them all the very best.