Govt working on Space Activities Bill to regulate, promote private participation in sector

New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said that the Space Activities Bill is under active consideration of the government.

The bill aims to regulate and promote private participation in the space sector. In a written reply to a query in Rajya Sabha today, the Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Department of Space said that the government is in process of creating an ecosystem to encourage private participation in space and in indigenous production of space technology, devices and services.

The central government had announced space reforms in June 2020. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-Space) was made as an independent nodal agency under the Department of Space to promote, handhold, license, authorise and monitor private space activities in India.

Access to Department of Space (DoS) facilities and expertise has been extended to private players to support their space activities. The government aims to encourage transfer of space technologies to Indian industries. It is also bringing in new policy and guidelines for the sector while revising the existing policies.

IN-Space will have Safety and Security Directorate to ensure security of ISRO installations while opening their access to private entities. Public consultations were done and relevant departments and ministries were consulted too. An exclusive webinar in ‘Unlocking India’s Potential in Space Sector’ consisting of four sessions covering the four vertical of space programme was organised with the participation of Industrialist/Academia/Start-ups as well as general public. All suggestions have been taken into consideration and appropriately addressed. (ANI)