India should expand its nuclear power programme. Substantiate your answer logically.

Honestly, I do not think that India stands to gain much in
the long term by expanding its nuclear power program.

But
here are the points used by many to support the expansion of the nuclear power
program.

India's economic development has led to a large
increase in its power consumption. This is expected to grow at 6.3% per annum and by
2050 is expected to reach an annual consumption of 5000 - 6000 kWh per
capita.

Most of India's electricity generation is done
through coal-powered thermal power plants. As the reserves of coal are limited and
non-renewable it would not be possible to expand power generation to the required levels
and maintain them.

It is also difficult to expand renewable
hydroelectric power as India's high population makes it impossible to find land to
create the huge reservoirs that are needed for hydroelectric power
plants.

No large expansion in the field of renewable
sources of power like solar or wind is expected that may be able to replace the present
power generation using fossil fuels.

Nuclear energy which
presently provides just 2.5% of India's electricity requirements can easily be expanded
now. This is mainly due to the fact that India now has access to advanced technology
required to build the reactors and there are also no restrictions on the import of
nuclear fuel from other nations.