Ranchi, March 11 (IANS) Jharkhand’s per capita power consumption is less than half of the national average of 650 units, Power Minister Raghubar Das said Thursday.

‘The per capita power consumption is just 300 units against national average of 650 units,’ Das said in reply to a question in the assembly.

Geetasri Oraon, a Congress party legislator, wanted to know the efforts the government was making to increase power consumption in the state.

Das, who is also the deputy chief minister, said power plants would be set up in joint ventures such as the extension project of the Patratu Thermal Power Station.

Jharkhand at present needs 1,325 MW of power but it produces only around 350 MW. Only 17,000 of its 32,000 villages are electrified.