Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday said the UPA government was "moving ahead" with Indo-US nuclear deal and Left parties should wait till the next UPA meeting for a response.

To a query from the media that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images], who left for Japan [Images] today to attend the G-8 meeting, had not responded to the Left's plea to inform them before July 7 whether government will be seeking approval of the safeguards agreement by the IAEA, Antony said, "They will have to wait till the next UPA meeting."

Earlier, while addressing an INTUC conference, Antony said the government was "moving ahead" with the deal in the nation's interest.

The UPA government was confident of completing its full term in office and even if some allies withdraw support, the government will be able to prove its majority, he told reporters on the sidelines of the conference here.

Antony said former President A P J Abdul Kalam also favoured the nuclear deal.

Considering the present energy crisis with the rising crude oil prices, India will have to look for alternative energy sources and nuclear power was the immediate answer before the nation, he said.

The nuclear plants need fuel and the deal was required for getting nuclear fuel from countries like US, Australia and France [Images], he said.

The Women's Reservation Bill and the legislation for protecting the rights of workers of unorganised sector was likely to be passed during the next session of Parliament, he said.

The UPA government could implement most of the promises made in its manifesto. The NREGP was a great achievement of the UPA government.

About three crore workers had benefited in the first phase and five crore workers would reap the benefits in the second phase, he said.