CSD Grocery and Liquor Quota for Defence Personnel
The Canteen Stores Department (CSD) provides various grocery and other authorised items to eligible serving personnel, ex-servicemen and their families through the defence canteen system. The entitlement for grocery and liquor, wherever applicable, varies according to the rank/category of the beneficiary and the type of card held. IHQ of MoD provides a rank-wise reference for grocery entitlement and authorised liquor quota for serving and retired defence personnel. IHQ of MoD (Army) letter No. 95350/Q/DDGCS/LIQ POLICY dated 18 February 2019 as its authority.
Important: The figures below reproduce the entitlement shown in the supplied chart. CSD policies, prices, entitlement rules and implementation procedures may be revised from time to time. Beneficiaries should therefore confirm the current entitlement with their concerned URC/CSD authorities before making purchases.
Rank-Wise CSD Grocery and Liquor Entitlement
| Category | Rank | Non-AFD Grocery | AFD Items* | Liquor – Serving | Liquor – Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OR Band | Sep to Hav | ₹5,500 | ₹55,000 | 5 Units | 4 Units |
| JCOs Band | Hony Nb Sub to Sub Maj | ₹8,000 | ₹75,000 | 7 Units | 6 Units |
| Officers | Hony Lt / Capt to Col | ₹11,000 | ₹1,00,000 | 10 Units | 10 Units |
| Officers | Brig & Maj Gen | ₹11,000 | ₹1,00,000 | 12 Units | 12 Units |
| Officers | Lt Gen | ₹11,000 | ₹1,00,000 | 14 Units | 14 Units |
| Officers | Field Marshal/Equivalent and specified senior appointments | As shown: No Limit | As shown: No Limit | — | — |
| Widow/Widower | NOK of deceased soldier | 50% of primary card | — | — | — |
| Grocery-entitled on Liquor Card | Eligible category | ₹2,500 | — | — | — |
| Pay Level 1–5 | Defence Civilian | ₹5,500 | ₹55,000 | NA | NA |
| Pay Level 6–9 | Defence Civilian | ₹8,000 | ₹75,000 | NA | NA |
| Pay Level 10–18 | Defence Civilian | ₹11,000 | ₹1,00,000 | NA | NA |
*The supplied chart describes AFD entitlement as “AFD Items (above Rs. 1200/-)”.
1. Grocery Entitlement for Other Ranks
According to the supplied entitlement chart, personnel in the OR category from Sepoy to Havildar are shown with a monthly grocery entitlement of ₹5,500 for non-AFD items.
The chart also shows an AFD-item entitlement of ₹55,000 for this category.
For liquor, the entitlement shown is:
- Serving personnel: 5 Units
- Retired personnel: 4 Units
2. Grocery and Liquor Quota for JCOs
For JCOs from Honorary Naib Subedar to Subedar Major, the chart shows:
- Non-AFD grocery: ₹8,000
- AFD items: ₹75,000
- Liquor quota for serving personnel: 7 Units
- Liquor quota for retired personnel: 6 Units
This makes it important for JCO beneficiaries to distinguish between their grocery entitlement and their separately applicable liquor entitlement.
3. CSD Entitlement for Officers
The chart provides different liquor entitlements for different officer ranks, while the grocery figures shown remain the same for the officer categories listed.
Hony Lieutenant/Captain to Colonel
The entitlement shown is:
- Non-AFD grocery: ₹11,000
- AFD items: ₹1,00,000
- Serving liquor quota: 10 Units
- Retired liquor quota: 10 Units
Brigadier and Major General
The chart shows:
- Non-AFD grocery: ₹11,000
- AFD items: ₹1,00,000
- Serving liquor quota: 12 Units
- Retired liquor quota: 12 Units
Lieutenant General
For Lieutenant General, the chart shows:
- Non-AFD grocery: ₹11,000
- AFD items: ₹1,00,000
- Serving liquor quota: 14 Units
- Retired liquor quota: 14 Units
The chart separately mentions Field Marshal/Equivalent and certain specified senior appointments with “No Limit” in the entitlement section. Beneficiaries in these categories should confirm the exact current rules with the competent CSD/URC authority.
4. CSD Entitlement for Defence Widows and Widowers
The supplied chart also contains a separate category for the NOK (Next of Kin) of a deceased soldier.
It states:
“50% of Primary Card.”
This means the entitlement shown in the chart is linked to 50% of the primary card entitlement.
Widows/widowers should check their actual card category and current CSD instructions before purchasing items because entitlement can depend on the beneficiary’s card status and applicable rules.
5. Grocery-Entitled Personnel on Liquor Cards
Another category shown in the chart is:
Grocery entitled on Liquor Card
For this category, the chart mentions:
- Grocery entitlement: ₹2,500
- AFD entitlement: —
- Liquor entitlement: —
- Remark: Across the board
The exact applicability should be confirmed from the concerned CSD/URC because card categories and entitlement rules may be subject to administrative instructions.
6. CSD Entitlement for Defence Civilians
The chart also includes Defence Civilians (Def Civ) according to Pay Level.
Pay Level 1–5
- Non-AFD grocery: ₹5,500
- AFD items: ₹55,000
- Liquor: Not applicable
Pay Level 6–9
- Non-AFD grocery: ₹8,000
- AFD items: ₹75,000
- Liquor: Not applicable
Pay Level 10–18
- Non-AFD grocery: ₹11,000
- AFD items: ₹1,00,000
- Liquor: Not applicable
Thus, the chart distinguishes the grocery/AFD entitlement of eligible defence civilians from the liquor entitlement applicable to eligible military categories.
What Are Non-AFD and AFD Items?
For CSD beneficiaries, it is important to understand the basic distinction.
Non-AFD items generally refer to the regular grocery and consumable products available through the CSD system.
AFD stands for Against Firm Demand. AFD categories are associated with specified higher-value products and are governed by separate eligibility, purchasing and payment procedures.
The supplied chart specifically refers to AFD items above ₹1,200.
Beneficiaries should check the current CSD product category and applicable ceiling before placing an order because product eligibility and limits can change through subsequent instructions.
Who Can Use CSD Facilities?
CSD facilities are intended for eligible categories associated with the Armed Forces and other authorised beneficiaries under applicable government rules. These may include:
- Serving Armed Forces personnel
- Retired Armed Forces personnel/ex-servicemen
- Eligible family members and dependants
- Eligible widows/widowers/NOK
- Eligible defence civilians
- Other categories specifically authorised under CSD rules
However, eligibility for a CSD facility does not automatically mean that every category is entitled to every product or benefit. Grocery, AFD and liquor entitlements can have separate conditions.
Important Points for Ex-Servicemen
For pensioners and ex-servicemen, the following points are particularly important:
- Retired liquor entitlement can differ from serving entitlement.
- Grocery entitlement may depend on the rank/category of the primary beneficiary.
- Widows/widowers may have separate entitlement provisions.
- Defence civilians have separate eligibility conditions.
- AFD purchases are subject to applicable CSD rules.
- AFD and grocery ceilings should not be confused with the actual market value or price of individual products.
- Entitlement shown in an old circular/chart should not automatically be treated as the current entitlement.
- The concerned URC/CSD authority should be consulted whenever there is doubt about current entitlement.
CSD Liquor Quota: Important Clarification
The term “Units” in a liquor entitlement chart should not be interpreted as a monetary value. It refers to the authorised liquor-unit entitlement under the applicable CSD policy.
The actual availability of particular liquor products can depend on:
- CSD stock
- URC availability
- Applicable category
- Monthly entitlement
- Existing CSD instructions
- Local implementation
Therefore, an individual should verify both entitlement and availability at the concerned URC.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CSD grocery entitlement for an OR?
The supplied chart shows ₹5,500 for non-AFD grocery and ₹55,000 for AFD items for the OR category from Sepoy to Havildar.
What is the CSD liquor quota for a retired JCO?
The supplied chart shows 6 Units for retired JCOs from Honorary Naib Subedar to Subedar Major.
What is the liquor quota for retired officers?
The chart shows 10 Units for Hony Lt/Capt to Colonel, 12 Units for Brigadier/Major General and 14 Units for Lieutenant General.
Is liquor entitlement available to defence civilians?
The supplied chart marks liquor entitlement as NA for the listed Defence Civilian Pay Levels.
What is the grocery entitlement for defence civilians?
The chart shows ₹5,500 for Pay Level 1–5, ₹8,000 for Pay Level 6–9 and ₹11,000 for Pay Level 10–18 under non-AFD grocery entitlement.
What is the entitlement of a widow/widower of a deceased soldier?
The supplied chart mentions 50% of the primary card entitlement for the NOK of a deceased soldier.
Is this CSD quota chart applicable in 2026?
The chart supplied for this article cites an 18 February 2019 MoD (Army) letter. It should therefore be treated as a reference to the entitlement shown in that source, not as confirmation that every figure remains unchanged in 2026. Current entitlement should be verified with the concerned CSD/URC.
Conclusion
The CSD system provides important grocery and other authorised purchasing facilities to eligible serving personnel, ex-servicemen and their families. The entitlement varies according to rank, service status, card category and beneficiary type.
The supplied chart provides a useful reference for understanding the difference between non-AFD grocery entitlement, AFD entitlement and liquor units for different categories.
For ex-servicemen and pensioners, it is especially important to check the current CSD/URC instructions before relying on an older entitlement chart, particularly where liquor quota, AFD purchases or beneficiary categories are concerned.
Reference mentioned in the supplied chart: HQ of MoD (Army), Letter No. 95350/Q/DDGCS/LIQ POLICY dated 18 February 2019.
Disclaimer: This article is for information and awareness purposes. The entitlement figures reproduced above are based on the supplied chart. CSD/URC rules and entitlements may be amended by competent authorities. Beneficiaries should verify the latest applicable instructions with their concerned CSD/URC before making purchases.