Lok Sabha Question No. 523 (STARRED), answered on 2026-04-01
Subject: Status of Chutka Nuclear Power Project
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Shri Karti P Chidambaram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO-523

ANSWERED ON 01.04.2026

## STATUS OF CHUTKA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

## *523.  SHRI KARTI P CHIDAMBARAM

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-

- (a) the list of financiers for the Chutka Nuclear Power Project in Madhya Pradesh including Indian banks, financial institutions, multilateral lenders and budgetary support, project-wise;
- (b) the total area of land required for the project, the area notified and the area acquired as of date, category-wise including private, forest and Government land;
- (c) the total compensation assessed and disbursed to the affected landholders, the number of beneficiaries paid and the amount pending along with the present status of rehabilitation and resettlement measures as of date; and
- (d) whether any community consent or Forest Rights Act compliance was recorded prior to the diversion of forestland for the project and if so, the details thereof along with the number of cases where such compliance remains pending?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) IN RESPECT OF LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  523  FOR  REPLY  ON  01.04.2026 REGARDING STATUS OF CHUTKA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ASKED BY SHRI KARTI P CHIDAMBARAM

- (a)  The  2X700  MW  Chutka  project  in  Mandla  district  of  Madhya  Pradesh  was  accorded administrative approval and financial sanction by the Government at a cost of Rs. 21000 crore with a debt to equity ratio of 70:30, with the equity to be provided by the Government through budgetary support. The project is being implemented by NPCIL.  Debt is raised by NPCIL from multiple sources from time to time for its funding needs (including for Chutka project). Thus there is no project specific list of debt financiers for Chutka project.
- (b) The required land for the project of 708.19 Ha comprising of 640.49 Ha for the plant site and 67.70 Ha for the township has been acquired for the project. The 708.19 Ha comprises of 287.21 Ha of Private land, 41.49 Ha of Government land, 260.03 Ha of Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA) land and 119.46 Ha of Forest land.
- (c)  An  R&R  package  for  330  Project  Displaced  Persons  was  announced  by  the  state government comprising of cost of land award of Rs.40.75 crore, R&R award of Rs. 21.71 crore and R&R colony at a cost of Rs. 70 crore. NPCIL deposited the award amount with state authorities as per the award, which was disbursed to the PAPs by the state authorities. R&R colony for 330 families was constructed as prescribed in the R&R package award and has been ready for occupation since 2022.

However, the PDPs had refused to shift to the R&R colony. To resolve the issue,   the Department is in continuous touch with the State Government and a State level steering committee comprising of senior officials of the state government and NPCIL  has been constituted.  The  steering  committee  recommended  additional  compensation  of  towards land  acquisition  and  R&R  and  others  things  totaling  to  Rs.  196.43  crore,  which  was approved by NPCIL Board. As per demands received so far, an amount of Rs. 117.65 crore of the Rs. 196.43 crore has been deposited with the district administration.

- (d)  Yes.  Gramsabha  meetings  were  duly  organized  on  16.03.2012  in  Patha,  Tatighat  and Chutka and on 17.03.2012 in Manegaon and Kunda in accordance with the PESA Act. In those  meetings,  the  applications  were  submitted  and  also  support  was  extended  for implementation of the project.  It  was  only  after  the  gramsabha  meetings  that  the  State Government had moved on to the land acquisition proceedings.

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