New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) The government has decided to mine 75,000 tonnes of uranium for the country’s nuclear power programme, for which a Rs.2 billion plan outlay was approved Friday. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its nod for the project, titled ‘Prospecting and Exploration of Potential Areas for Augmentation of Uranium Resources’, at a meeting here.

The project cost is estimated at Rs.2 billion with an 11th Plan outlay of Rs.1.2 billion and 12th Plan outlay of Rs.800 million, Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal said at a briefing after the CCEA meeting.

The project will help in augmenting an additional 75,000 tonnes of uranium resources for the nuclear power programme, he said.

The CCEA also gave its approval for another 11th Plan project, titled ‘Augmentation of Airborne and Ground Geophysical Capabilities’, which will help in identifying potential areas for further detailed survey and exploration for locating concealed uranium deposits.

The project cost is estimated at Rs.2.58 billion with the 11th Plan outlay of Rs.2.49 billion and 12th Plan outlay of Rs 96.4 million, Sibal said.