PARLIAMENT QUESTION: DEPLOYMENT OF ANEEL

• ANEEL = Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life — a Thorium-based fuel being explored for use in India's Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) through a tie-up between NTPC Ltd. and US-based Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE).
• Significance: potential accelerator for Stage-3 of India's 3-stage nuclear programme, leveraging India's vast thorium reserves while reducing dependence on imported enriched uranium.
• UPSC relevance: intersects energy security, nuclear strategy, public-sector role (NTPC entering nuclear), and the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 framework.