Petroleum ministry plans a second round of media blitzkrieg to explain the strategic importance of nuclear energy, which Oil Minister Murli Deora said, would help reduce revenue loss on fuel sales.
Within days of India approaching International Atomic Energy Agency for country-specific safeguards for nuclear power plants, the ministry issued advertisements in newspapers explaining what the uranium extracted energy can do to the nation's energy security.
Another campaign is planned this week, Deora said.
"At a time when India faces crippling energy shortages and when our nuclear plants are short of uranium the nuclear deal assures us the supplies we need to power the future. If we do not act now, our future energy independence is at stake," Deora said.
It would also reduce India' dependence on oil and gas. "We are the worst sufferers of the oil shock. Our companies stand to lose Rs 2,46,000 crore or Rs 2,460 billion (in revenues this fiscal). Nuclear energy will help reduce that," he said.
Energy-hungry India has a huge unmet power demand and the heavily subsidised diesel is being used as fuel to generate electricity. Nuclear energy is being touted as the solution for bridging the gap, which stands a close to 90,000 MW.
"Nuclear energy is essential. There was a time when nuclear energy was considered expensive but with oil crossing $ 140 a barrel, it is affordable," Deora said.
"Nuclear deal would end technological isolation India faced since Pokhran. It will lift the world's sanctions against us, allow our nuclear scientists to take their honoured place in the global community and grant us a status of a recognised nuclear power that will not sign the NPT but is respected a non- proliferators. The deal restores our sovereign honour." he said.
"It offers us an invaluable of source of clean, efficient and safe energy to add to the variety of energy sources we need, coal, oil, wind, hydro, solar, bio-fuels and nuclear -- as we seek to bring prosperity and hope to all Indians in the 21st century," Deora said.
"The deal strengthens India's energy independence, sovereignty and autonomy. It ends the sanctions that have crippled out nuclear efforts. It invests in India's future," he added.
The government has not allowed state-run Indian Oil, BPCL and HPCL to raise prices of petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene in line with rise in cost of raw material (crude oil), leading to an estimated Rs 2,46,000 crore (Rs 2,460 billion) revenue loss this fiscal.
Deora justified his ministry launching the advertisement campaign saying 'we have been the worst sufferers of the oil shock. And to cut our reliance on expensive imported oil we need to look at alternatives and nuclear energy is the best alternative."
Deora said government has done tremendous job by getting support for the civilian nuclear deal with US from all countries, including China.
"All the nations are supporting us (on the deal). I have been to three places (Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Spain) in past few months and everywhere they have told me how good the nuclear deal was for India," the petroleum minister said.
The nation produces power that barely meets half the demand and the deal with US, that will not only give access to latest technology but also the fuel uranium, will help reduce the gap.
India imports 75 per cent of its crude needs and despite last month's highest every price increase of Rs 5 a litre on petrol and Rs 3 per litre on diesel together with import and excise duty cuts, auto fuel is much cheaper than naphtha and fuel oil that are traditionally used for power generation.
Petrol is being sold at a loss of Rs 14.92 a litre, diesel at Rs 24.90 per litre, kerosene at Rs 38.09 per litre and domestic LPG at Rs 338.53 per 14.2-kg cylinder.
