We are investing heavily in uranium exploration: Kakodkar

MUMBAI: To ensure that the country's nuclear programme is not dependent on the implementation of the Indo- US civil nuclear deal, the government is investing heavily in uranium exploration, a top official of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) said today.

"Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Meghalaya and other regions are among those we are looking at for uranium exploration," Anil Kakodkar, Secretary, DAE, said here.

Approximately Rs 700 crore is being invested in using the latest technology to explore multiple states for uranium, he said.

Kakodkar, who is also Chariman of the Atomic Energy Commission, refused to comment on the status of the nuclear deal, which is currently being debated by the UPA-Left Committee. The 15-member political panel, which met last week, will hold its next meeting on May 28.

"We have discussed this deal with other countries and the IAEA. Now the rest of the decision is not technical," Kakodkar said on the sidelines of a function organised to commemorate National Technology Day at BARC here.

However, the deal would not be as crucial if the investment in uranium exploration yielded returns, he said.

"We are making massive investment in uranium exploration and if we hit a huge find then the problem is over."