Mysuru: Former head of the radiochemistry division at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, V K Manchanda on Wednesday said that India made remarkable progress in nuclear technology globally, and set a target of increasing the share of electricity generated through atomic energy from the present 2% to 9% by 2047.He delivered a talk on ‘Journey of Atomic Energy in India in the Last 70 Years’, organised by the University of Mysore as part of National Science Day celebrations at Crawford Hall.
Manchanda said the Union govt allocated Rs 20,000 crore in the 2026 budget to strengthen nuclear research, and establish new nuclear reactors in the country. Nuclear energy has the capacity to generate large amounts of electricity and is comparatively economical when compared to several other sources of power generation, he said.“At present, about 2% of India’s electricity is generated through nuclear energy. By 2047, the country aims to increase this share to 9%, with an estimated 100 gigawatts of nuclear power generation capacity,” he explained.He described nuclear energy as an environment-friendly source of power capable of providing long-term energy security to the country. Nuclear fuel has extremely high energy density and is relatively easier to manage and transport compared to many conventional fuels, he said.Manchanda pointed out that India is working towards reducing the carbon intensity of its economy by 45%, by 2030. Apart from investment, next-generation technologies will help address concerns related to nuclear safety, waste management, transmission and public perception, he added.VC NK Lokanath and registrar MK Savitha were present.
