Patna, Apr 20 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today launched the "extended Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana" in Bihar and said LPG connections will help reduce fire incidents during the summer.

Around four cylinders are being used by poor people who got connections under Ujjwala scheme in a year, he said at a function held at Baheri block of Darbhanga district.

"If every household is provided with gas connection, the incident of fire caused during cooking (in the month of April) will be reduced to a large extent," an official release quoted him as saying.

He appealed to the people prepare food before 10 am and after 4 or 5 pm in order to avoid fire incidents as "we had witnessed a number of fire incidents two years ago in this month only."

The chief minister said this is a big step towards women's empowerment as gas connections under Ujjwala scheme is given in the name of women only.

Talking about his 'seven resolves' programme, Kumar said every household would be provided with facilities such as toilet, piped drinking water, pucca road, drainage and electricity within four years.

Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ram Vilas Paswan, state Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav and others were present at the programme.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)