Bangalore: The Centre has sanctioned a Rs 334 crore loan to Karnataka for construction of godowns in rural areas for storing foodgrains, Minister for Agricultural Marketing B S Patil Sasanur said on February 10.

The government proposed to build godowns with capacity to store 100 metric tonnes to 1,000 metric tonnes of foodgrains in rural areas, he told reporters.

Work would soon be entrusted to the Agricultural Produces Marketing Co-operatives (APMCs) he said, adding the loan had to be repaid over a period of 11 years.

Patil said the wholesale fruit market yard constructed on the city outskirts on Hosur Road would be inaugurated soon.

The market yard built at a cost of Rs 18 crore was equipped with cold storage facilities and 170 stalls, he said.

He said plans were afoot to construct a mega market yard of international standards near Byatarayanapura, also on the city outskirts, for which global tenders would be invited.

Patil said the government was thinking to amalgamate loss-making APMCs with those running on profit and shed unproductive work force by offering Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS).

PTI