Chennai,  The Tamil Nadu Department of cooperation will soon upgrade the state Public Distribution System (PDS) shops to meet international standards.

The shops will be upgraded so that they meet ISO 9000 certification in quality control, ISO 28000 for supply chain management and FSSAI for food quality. The PDS shops will also be upgraded and cashless payment mode will be introduced for the ration card holders.

There are 34,773 ration shops in the state, of which 33,377 shops are under cooperative societies. Some shops in the state are already accepting digital payments and this will be extended to shops across the state.

Tamil Nadu Cooperation Minister I. Periyasamy in a statement on Friday said that the department is taking up various measures to improve the functioning of the ration shops. Small godowns will be built near ration shops.

The department, according to the minister, has issued orders for the construction of new buildings for 6,907 ration shops and that land has been identified for 862 new buildings, and administrative sanctions granted for 243 buildings.

Presently, 17,473 ration shops in the state are functioning in government buildings and there will be major changes following the new policies of the department of cooperation.

The minister said new buildings will be constructed for all ration shops in the near future.