Patna, May 17: The rising price of pulses was a talking point in last year's Assembly elections and six months down the line, it still is for Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

Paswan, the minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution, today said prices of pulses will not be allowed to cross Rs 120 a kg, and if it did, the onus would fall on the state government.

Attacking the Nitish Kumar government for its alleged failure to check hoarding, Paswan said he had urged the government to ensure pulses were not sold at more than Rs 120 a kg. "But in Bihar, pulses are sold above Rs 150," he said.

Sources said unpolished pulses were priced at Rs 170 in the open market, while polished pulses cost Rs 150 per kg.

Paswan was speaking at a seminar on national food security act and consumer empowerment organised by the ministry on instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has asked his ministers to highlight their achievements on the two-year anniversary of the NDA government.

The food and public distribution ministry has kept a surplus stock to ensure the prices of pulses does not rise.

To check the prices of pulses, the food ministry has already asked the states to place their demand to the ministry. Paswan, the Hajipur MP, said: "It is pitiful that when other states have placed their demand for pulses to the ministry, my home state Bihar has not done so." But the state minister, Madan Sahni, said: "The Bihar government has already placed its demand for 15,000 tonnes of arhar dal (split red gram) and 22,000 tonnes of moong dal (split green gram)."