"Private tenders will be invited next week for constructing and operating private godowns for storing the Centre's foodgrain stock upto 5.73 lakh tonne all across the country and for ten bulk silos (large capacity storage) later this month," Secretary, Ministry for Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution, RD Kapur said.

He said the offers will be made through the Food Corporation and India (FCI) and the private parties will be required to both construct and operate the godowns. FCI on its part would be issuing a seven-year guarantee to those awarded contracts and the charges to be paid to them will be decided in the bidding process.

While the godowns to be constructed were spread nation-wide, ten places had been also been earmarked for setting up bulk silos for which the tenders notices were being finalised and the notification would be issued later this month. Three silos in Punjab, and two in Haryana were to be of three lakh tonne capacity each, he said, adding two in Tamil Nadu and one each in Karnataka, West Bengal and Maharashtra were to be of 1 lakh tonne capacity.