Patna, March 9: The state government today blamed the Centre for shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the state.

Replying to a query by MLC Sanjay Singh in the legislative council, food supply and consumer protection minister Shyam Rajak said while in other states there was a provision for a gas agency per 10,000 people, it was just one agency per 30,000- 32,000 people in Bihar.

Singh had asked what the state government was doing to keep a check on blackmarketing of LPG cylinders in the state. Replying to the question, Rajak said efforts were being made to ensure easy and legal availability of LPG cylinders to genuine consumers.

MLC Ramkishore Singh said previously gas vendors used to reach each colony of the state and the service was smooth under the NDA government.

He added the situation was so bad under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that even people with legal gas connections had to buy cylinders from the black market.

Energy budget

Bihar energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav presented an energy budget of Rs 2846.3 crore in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

Yadav said Bihar government will start power production under Rashtriya Sam Vikash Yojana at the closed units of Barauni Thermal Power Station and Muzaffarpur-based Kanti Thermal Power Station.

The government has also earmarked Rs 1,053 crore for the modernisation and renovation of unit number 6 (110MW power capacity) of Barauni and unit number 2 of Kanti Thermal Power Station.