Dept. of Cooperation to open direct procurement centres

In the first phase, they will be set in districts other than those in delta region

The Tamil Nadu government is planning to open direct procurement centres in all districts through the Department of Cooperation, Minister for Cooperation I. Periasamy announced in the Assembly on Wednesday. In the first phase, the direct procurement centres will be opened in districts other than those in the Cauvery delta region. Committees, led by the Collectors, have been constituted for this purpose, he said. As on July 31, the Food Department has 2,654 direct procurement centres for paddy, primarily in the Cauvery delta region. “In 19 districts, 68 direct procurement centres are to be set up through the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies, and they will be expanded later,” Mr. Periasamy said. He said the number of medical shops, run by the Department of Cooperation, would be increased from 300 to 600 in the next five years.