The Winter Session of Parliament (December 2025) witnessed the passage of two landmark Bills that received Presidential assent on December 20, 2025: the Strategic Harnessing of Atomic energy for National Transformation and Innovation (SHANTI) Act and the Vibrant Bharat Grameen Rozgar Maha Guarantee (VB-G RAM G) Act.

The SHANTI Act replaces the Atomic Energy Act of 1962, ending over six decades of state monopoly in India's nuclear sector. The legislation opens civil nuclear energy to private players for the first time, enabling private companies, subject to stringent safety regulations and licensing by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), to invest in and operate nuclear power plants. The move is aimed at accelerating India's clean energy transition and meeting the ambitious target of 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047. India currently has 22 operational reactors producing about 7,480 MW. By attracting private capital and technological expertise, the government aims to close the investment gap that public funding alone cannot bridge. Strategic partnerships with global nuclear technology providers are also envisaged under the new framework.

The VB-G RAM G Act replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005. Key changes include an increase in guaranteed workdays from 100 to 125 days per household per year, and a revised Centre-State cost-sharing ratio of 60:40, aligning fiscal responsibility more equitably between the Union and state governments. The new scheme broadens the scope of permissible work to include green infrastructure — such as farm ponds, watershed management, and solar installations — and strengthens gram panchayat's role in planning and monitoring. Both Acts signal a structural shift in India's governance approach — welcoming private enterprise into previously state-dominated sectors while reinforcing social safety nets with enhanced commitments.