Bangalore: The long delay in the supply of foodgrains under the public distribution system (PDS) is expected to be sorted out in a few days and from January, Karnataka has been assured a buffer stock of 1.50 lakh tonnes of foodgrains by the Centre.

The State had rejected a part of the Food Corporation of India's foodgrain allocation on the grounds that it was unfit for human consumption. The strike in rice mills in Punjab affected supply to the State.

A high level team of ministers and officials, led by Finance and Industries Minister P.G.R. Sindhia held discussions with the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in New Delhi on Thursday and apprised him of the problem. Mr. Pawar assured the team of buffer stock apart from measures to improve the functioning of sugar factories and the availability of levy sugar.

Minister for Food and Civil Supplies H.S. Mahadev Prasad and Minister for Sugar Amaregowda Bayyapur were part of the team that called on the Union Minister. Discussions were held with the Union Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel on matters pertaining to Bangalore International Airport Ltd., the new airports in Hassan and Gulbarga and upgrading Mysore airport. The work on Mysore airport is now scheduled to begin in January 2006. The cooking gas scarcity in the State is being looked into by the Centre and new gas connections to applicants in the State will be made available from January.

Mr. Sindhia said the matter pertaining to Bangalore International Airport Ltd. was discussed with Mr. Praful Patel and the Centre is of the view that construction of phase I and phase II of the airport should be taken up simultaneously in the light of the growing volume of traffic. A decision on appointing new chairman for BIAL was expected in January, he said. The State Government enjoys the privilege of appointing a director who can then be elevated as the chairman. The State Government will be signing an MoU soon in for airports in Hassan and Gulbarga.

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