Union Budget 2025: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announces Nuclear Energy Mission with expenditure of Rs 20,000 crore

NEW DELHI: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday unveiled a Nuclear Energy Mission with an allocation of Rs 20,000 crore to advance research and development in small modular reactors.
"Amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act will be taken up. A nuclear energy mission for research and development of small modular reactors with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore will be set up. At least five indigenously developed small modular reactors will be operationalised by 2033," she said.

As part of the Union Budget 2025-26, she also announced 10,000 fellowships for technology research at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) over the next five years.
Additionally, Sitharaman proposed the launch of a National Spatial Mission and the Gyaan Bharat Mission, aimed at surveying, documenting, and conserving India's manuscript heritage.
The announcement follows the government's February 2024 decision to add 18 more nuclear power reactors, targeting a total atomic power capacity of 22,480 MWe by 2031-32.