Union Minister of State (MoS) for Science & Technology Jitendra Singh said in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) has given its in-principle approval for uranium production capacity expansion at some existing units in Andhra Pradesh.
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Accordingly, the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) initiated pre-project activities like obtaining statutory clearances, land acquisition, site development and R&D for preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), Mr. Singh said in a written reply to a question asked by Sant Balbir Singh of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The MoS said the above activities are in different stages of execution for setting up new mines and plants at various locations in the country including Kanampalle in Kadapa district.
Further, Mr. Singh informed the House that the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was carrying out integrated multi-disciplinary exploration (heliborne and ground geophysical surveys, ground geological, geochemical and radiometric surveys and drilling) in identified thrust areas of the country for undertaking uranium mining in the future.
These areas in A.P. are Ambakapalle, Nallagondavaripalle, Kumarampalle, Bakkannagaripalle, Sivaramapuram, Pincha and Nagayapalle in Kadapa district, Sarangapalli, Madinapadu and Tangeda in Palnadu, Bommarajupalle, Minchalapadu and Kappatralla in Kurnool and Katimayakunta and Varikuntapalle, in Annamayya district.