PM calls meeting to discuss energy policy

PM Manmohan Singh has called a meeting of all members of the Planning Commission to discuss the integrated energy policy and take stock of the country's nuclear energy programme.

Ahead of his visit to the United States, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called a meeting of all members of the Planning Commission on Saturday to discuss the integrated energy policy and take stock of the country's nuclear energy programme.

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The meeting of the full plan panel, the country's top think tank, on energy assumes significance as it comes close to Singh's visit to the United States, where he is slated to meet US President George Bush and likely to ink the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement.

Among other things, the Planning Commission meeting will discuss the possibility of augmenting power supply by increasing generation from nuclear power after waiver received from the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG).

Singh will be leaving for the US next week to attend the meeting of the 63rd session of UN General Assembly in New York.

Besides, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, official sources said, the high-level meeting will be attended by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.

The other part-time members of the Commission include Human Resource Minister Arjun Singh, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad.