T.N. cooperative medical shops will now sell surgical equipment to the public: Minister

Medical shops run by the Tamil Nadu government’s Cooperation Department will henceforth procure surgical equipment and supply them to the general public at affordable prices, Minister K.R. Peryiakaruppan announced in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, June 27, 2024.

The Minister further said that the services by cooperative medical shops/pharmacies would be expanded to all cities across the State. A cooperative medical shops society would be constituted to monitor their functioning, he said. Surgical equipment would be procured through a centralised system, he added.

At present, co-operative medical shops function in 381 locations across Tamil Nadu with the primary objective of supplying quality medicines at affordable prices to the public.

In 2023-24, medicines to the tune of ₹163 crore have been sold through these medical shops. Discounts of up to 20% are offered to customers. In 2023-24, about ₹25 crore has been offered in discounts to as many as 30 lakh customers, the Minister said.

Multipurpose kiosks

Mr. Peryiakaruppan also announced that multipurpose kiosks would be established by cooperative banks that would have passbook printers and cash recycler machines, among other facilities.

The Minister also announced that the functions of cooperative societies would be computerised to improve customer experience.

The State government would take steps to procure millets through the agricultural producers cooperative marketing societies to ensure farmers get a fair price for their produce, Mr. Periakaruppan said.