Chhapra/Patna, Sept. 8: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today accused the Congress-led UPA government of ignoring the state’s genuine demand for coal linkage and allotting coal blocks to several companies.

The Nitish Kumar government has been demanding coal linkage from the Centre for setting up power plants in the power-starved state.

“The Centre did not pay heed to the demands and, instead, allotted several coal blocks to many companies. This resulting into a big scam,” he said while inaugurating Jai Prakash Narayan Institute of Technology at Chhapra, about 60km north-west of Patna.

The BJP has been opposing the coal block allotment scam and has stalled Parliament in an attempt to dislodge Manmohan Singh from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The party had held Singh responsible for the coal block allotments, as he was holding the portfolio from 2005 to 2009.

Charging the Centre with not extending help to non-UPA ruled states, Kumar said: “Despite the Centre’s apathetic attitude towards Bihar, the state is registering a robust growth by conve- rting challenges into opportunities.”

Reiterating his challenge to improve power scenario in the state by 2015, Nitish said he has taken “power problem as a challenge”.

He added: “If I fail to change the scenario, then I will not go to people to seek votes in the 2015 Assembly elections.

Nitish, while inaugurating the engineering college, took a jibe at RJD chief Lalu Prasad, saying: “Mere announcements and laying foundations do not help anyone. What is more important is the fulfilment of the announcements.”

The foundation of the college was laid by former chief minister Rabri Devi in 2004.

Among those present on the occasion were BJP national spokesman and Parliamentary party secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy, vice-chairman of state legislative council Salim Parvez, science and technology minister Gautam Singh, labour resources minister Janardan Singh Sigriwal and tourism minister Sunil Kumar ‘Pintu’.