Previous Year Question

After the New Industrial Policy of 1991, the Government substantially reduced the number of industries reserved exclusively for the public sector. According to NCERT, the number of such industries was reduced from 17 to 8 and subsequently to 3, allowing private-sector participation in most other areas.

Among the strategic sectors, Atomic Energy retained a special status. Official DPIIT records confirm that Atomic Energy was not ordinarily open to private-sector investment, and under the Industrial Policy Statement of 1991, mining and production of specified “prescribed substances” connected with atomic energy were included among activities reserved for the public sector.

An important distinction should be made between Metro Transport and Railway Transport. Railway transport remained a reserved activity for a long period, but later policy specifically excluded Mass Rapid Transport Systems, such as metros, from that general restriction. Therefore, among the options given, Atomic Energy Production is the clearly appropriate answer.