India and the United States are very close to sign a preliminary agreement for the proposed construction of six nuclear reactors in Gujarat, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon said.

Mr. Menon said the contract for the construction of six nuclear planst in the Mithi Virdi area of Gujarat was expected to be signed prior to the departure of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the United States later this month. Mr. Singh will depart for the United States on September 25 to attend the UN General Assembly session. He will hold a meeting with U. S. President Barack Obama on September 27.

Mr. Menon said a note was ready to go to the Cabinet Committee on Security for approval. When asked whether the preliminary contractbetween the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCI) and Westinghouse Electric Co was would be signed soon, he relied, “Yes, we are very close.”

The initial agreement is expected to cost nearly $15.16 million, and it would not deal with actual nuclear activities.

Meanwhile, main opposition party BJP has alleged that Manmohan Singh is compromising on crucial clauses in the Nuclear Liability Act in a bid to give a gift to American companies ahead of his visit to the United States. Ravi Shankar Prasad, deputy leader of BJP, said that Mr. Singh was compromising on Section 17 (b) of the Nuclear Liability Act that specifically fixes the responsibilities and liabilities of the constructor of nuclear reactors in the event of an accident at the plant in the future.