By KUNA,
New Delhi : India desperately needed nuclear energy to overcome power shortage and boost economic growth, because the conventional energy sources like coal and hydel-power potential were fast depleting, said the countrys Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday.
Speaking in New Delhi at the International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, Mukherjee said that nuclear energy was “clean and self-alternating” compared to fossil fuel.
“Our requirements of energy will only be met by considering nuclear and non-conventional resources. Quality power is essential requirement (for growth)…Our conventional sources are not at all adequate to achieve the desired energy (output) in terms of electricity generation,” he said.
The finance minister further stated: “nuclear energy is clean and self-alternating compared to fossil fuel.” Acknowledging that coal resources in India were depleting and hydel power potential was limited, the Finance Minister said, “over exploitation of conventional resources are also raising environmental concerns.”