PATNA, March 31 -- Chief secretary Pratyay Amrit on Monday expressed strong displeasure over the long pendency of applications for new piped natural gas (PNG) connections, directing district magistrates and superintendents of police in 14 districts where progress has been zero to immediately draw up action plans and meet the target of connecting more than 368,000 households across the state. The CS gave this direction while presiding over the first meeting of the Crisis Management Group (CMG) came in the wake of a high-level review chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on the issue of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortages and piped natural gas availability, triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The nearly 90-minute video conference, attended by senior officials including the development commissioner, additional chief secretary (home), director general of police and principal secretaries of key departments, as well as representatives of major oil companies, focused on ensuring uninterrupted supply of essential commodities and protecting the interests of returning migrant workers. Officials told the meeting that the commercial demand for PNG is currently being fulfilled to the extent of 60 per cent....