Independent Nuclear Safety Authority

The Government of India has established the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) as a regulatory body empowered to enforce safety standards and regulate the functioning of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). AERB is functionally independent from the Government and the facilities it regulates and has adequate powers with respect to its mandate of enforcing Safety regulation of nuclear and radiation facilities in the

country. The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission conducted by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in March 2015 has acknowledged that AERB has functional independence as the regulator.

In order to give statutory strength to our national nuclear regulator - Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and to convert its functional independence into de jure independence, the proposal for setting up a Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority has been under consideration. Accordingly, Government had introduced the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority Bill, 2011 (NSRA) in the Lok Sabha in September 2011. The Bill could not be taken up for consideration before the dissolution of 15th Lok Sabha and expired. A fresh Bill is under examination and processing. 

This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.