New Delhi, March 26
A parliamentary panel has recommended priority funding for India’s atomic minerals exploration agency to accelerate uranium and rare metal prospecting, warning that underinvestment could create long-term risks for the country’s nuclear energy plans.
In a report tabled in both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change said the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) needed stronger financial backing for exploration work.
The panel said a capital allocation shortfall of Rs 118.18 crore for the agency should be fully restored at the revised estimate stage for 2026-27.
It noted that uranium discovery and resource mapping are long-gestation processes, with a gap of eight to 12 years between exploration and eventual mine production.
The committee warned that cuts in exploration spending now could result in a nuclear fuel supply bottleneck in the coming decade, potentially affecting India’s long-term atomic energy programme.
It also said enhanced funding for uranium and rare metal exploration would support the goal of securing a stable domestic supply of nuclear fuel, in line with India’s broader energy security strategy.
The panel’s recommendation comes amid increasing focus on strengthening domestic mineral resources seen as critical for both the nuclear sector and advanced strategic industries.
