By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, MAY 18, 2020: UNION Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said here yesterday that the 20 Lakh Crore economic package announced by Prime Minister in the wake of COVID pandemic, will, among other things, promote affordable cancer treatment using medical Isotopes and envisages to establish an exclusive reactor in PPP (Public-Private-Participation) mode, under the aegis of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

Describing the economic package as innovative, futuristic and bold, Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also MoS In-Charge Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, said that for over six decades, India's Space technology and Atomic Energy operated behind a shroud of secrecy and it became virtually a taboo to plan anything new or out-of-box, and continued with what was already going on in a limited sphere.

He said, for the first time, the Department of Atomic Energy has got an opportunity to realize its applications in diverse areas and for the benefit of our day-to-day life. Dr Jitendra Singh said that the production of medical isotopes in India will not only offer the option of affordable treatment for cancer and other diseases, but will also come to the service of humanity across the world. Similarly, he said, the other atomic energy related reforms in the package relate to the use of radiation technology for food preservation and prolongation of shelf life. This know-how, he said, is available with our scientists but the promotion of radiation technology in PPP mode is being done for the first time.

As far as space is concerned, Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that the economic package has put across reforms for accommodating private sector in Space/ISRO working thus providing a level playing field for private companies in satellite launching and related activities. In addition, a significant decision is to allow liberal geo-spatial policy for providing remote sensing data to technical entrepreneurs, he added.

The new economic reforms, said Dr Jitendra Singh, offer a unique opportunity to India's Space and Atomic capabilities to realize their full potential.