Patna, May 12 (IANS) In a key policy push to improve urban energy access, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary has directed officials to accelerate the rollout of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections, especially in housing complexes such as apartments and residential colonies.​

The directive came during a high-level review meeting of the Food and Consumer Protection Department, held at the Sankalp Auditorium in the Chief Minister’s residence at 1 Anee Marg.​

During the meeting, Abhay Kumar Singh, the secretary of the food and consumer affairs, presented a detailed report on the status of fuel supply in the state.​

He highlighted that 1.12 lakh (112,000) PNG connections are already operational in Bihar, 25,813 applications are currently under process, and rapid progress is underway to expand PNG infrastructure.​

The Chief Minister emphasized that extending PNG access to densely populated housing units would significantly increase coverage and improve convenience for residents.​

Reiterating the government’s commitment, the Chief Minister instructed officials to prioritize PNG connections in apartments and colonies, ensure faster execution at the grassroots level, and take all necessary steps to maximize public convenience.​

He stressed that expanding PNG access will not only simplify daily life but also promote cleaner, more efficient fuel use.​

The Chief Minister also reviewed the availability of petrol, diesel, and LPG in the state.​

He assured that the state currently has an adequate fuel supply and urged citizens not to panic.​

At the same time, he appealed to the public to use four-wheelers only when necessary and adopt electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce fuel dependency and pollution.​

The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including Food and Consumer Protection Minister Ashok Choudhary, Bihar Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Deepak Kumar, B. Rajender, Lokesh Kumar Singh, and Sanjay Kumar Singh.​

Officials from major oil companies were also present during the review.​

The meeting was held in the backdrop of the global energy crisis, followed by an appeal from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to save fuel.​

–IANS

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