Lok Sabha Question No. 6109 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-04
Subject: Use of Nuclear Energy
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: BHAGIRATH PRASAD

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.6109

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.04.2018

## USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

## 6109. DR. BHAGIRATH  PRASAD:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of use of nuclear energy in electricity production, agriculture, medicine and health sector;
- (b) the comparative status of usage of nuclear energy in the said sector in the country vis-a- vis China and Japan; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to encourage the use of atomic energy in the said sector?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Applications of nuclear energy and radiation have played a significant role in the field of electricity production, agriculture, medicine and health. Contributions of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) have made a positive impact on improvement in the treatment of disease and the quality of life of citizens in the country.

## Electricity Generation :-

The total electricity generation from the Nuclear Power Plants during the last three years was 115292 Million Units.

## Agriculture :-

Using radiation induced mutagenesis technology, DAE has developed 42 varieties in oilseeds (groundnut, mustard, soybean and sunflower), pulses (urdbean, mungbean, Pigeonpea,  cowpea),  rice  and  jute,  which  have  been  released  and  notified  for commercial cultivation across the country.

Government  of  India  (Department  of  Atomic  Energy)  has  set  up  two  radiation technology demonstration units, one commissioned in the year 2000 for high dose irradiation at Vashi, Navi Mumbai, and another in 2002, for low dose irradiation, i.e. Krushi Utpadan Sanrakshan Kendra (KRUSHAK) facility at Lasalgaon near Nashik. The facilities  are  being  operated  by  the  Board  of  Radiation  &  Isotope  Technology (BRIT).   Two  plants  are  also  set  up  one  each  by  Maharashtra  government  and Gujarat government. Currently, 15 irradiation plants including those in Private Sector are  functional  in  the  country  carrying  out  radiation  processing  of  agricultural/food products.  Presently  fruits  like  Mango  and  Pomegranate  and  vegetable  like  onions and garlic are being irradiated for shelf life extension.

## Medicine and Health :-

BRIT under DAE India is responsible for production and supply of Medical products linked to human health. The radioisotopes produced in nuclear reactors/ cyclotron is employed  for  medical  applications. The  nature  of radiation emitted from  the radioisotope determines its utility for diagnostic or therapeutic application. Under this category diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals are manufactured.

Some of the Radiopharmaceuticals manufactured and supplied are  :-

- 1) 99m Tc-Technetium  based  radiopharmaceuticals:  For  diagnosing  diseases  related to  all  the  important  organs  of  the  body  comprising  cerebral,  myocardial,  renal, liver, lung, etc. and for cancer detection.
- 2) 18 F-Fluorine  based  diagnostic  radiopharmaceuticals:  PET  based  products  for diagnosis of cancer, cardiac and neuro diseases.
- 3) 131 I-Iodine  based  products  for  diagnosis  and  therapy  of  thyroid  and  related cancers.
- 4) 32 P-Phosphorus, 153 Sm-Samarium and 177 Lu-Lutetium based Therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals for relieving the cancer borne pain and cancer therapy.

Other than the above radiopharmaceuticals BRIT supplies 60 Co (Cobalt) source for Bhabhatron Teletherapy unit used as radiation source for treatment of cancer. Also 125 I  based  in  vitro  Radioimmunoassay kits for  diagnosing  the  low  concentrations of hormones, proteins, etc. present in blood are supplied.

- (b) The  nuclear  share  of electricity  generation in  the  year  2016  in  the  country  was about 3.4% and is comparable to China (3.6%) and Japan (2.2%).

In  so  far  as medicine  and  health  Sectors are  concerned,  around  220  Nuclear medicine centres are currently operational in India which employ above radioactive products for  medical  applications.  However  no  such  data  is  available  for  countries like China and Japan for direct comparison.

- (c)        In  so  far  as electricity  generation through  nuclear  technology  is  concerned,  the government has taken several enabling steps to increase the nuclear power capacity and to provide adequate quantity of fuel. These include:
- (i) Resolution of issues related to Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act & Creation of Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool (INIP).
- (ii) Accord of administrative approval and financial sanction of - ten (10) indigenous 700  MW  Pressurized  Heavy  Water  Reactors  (PHWRs)  to  be  set  up  in  fleet mode  &  two  (02)  units  of  Light  Water  Reactors  (LWRs)  to  be  set  up  in cooperation with Russian Federation.
- (iii) Amendment of the Atomic Energy Act to enable Joint Ventures of Public Sector Companies to set up nuclear power projects.
- (iv) Entering  into  enabling  agreements  with  foreign  countries  for  nuclear  power cooperation including supply of fuel.

In so far as Agriculture sector is concerned, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI)  grants  subsidy  to  gamma  radiation  processing  plants  under  SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) which are installed for gamma radiation processing of food products.

In so far as Health & Medicine sectors are concerned, the Government provides all impetus to the use of nuclear energy in health care by promoting Nuclear Medicine practices  in  the  country.  This  is  with  respect  to  indigenous  development  of  import substitutes  and  also  providing  cost-effective  treatment.  The  medical  cyclotron  of Radiation Medicine Centre provides the PET imaging facility to patients at no cost. Use of a Lutetium-177-labeled product (DOTA-TATE) for treatment of cancer patients having neuroendocrine cancer is 10-15 times less than the imported radiopharmaceutical (Rs.10,000 vs. Rs.1,50,000).

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