The Canteen Stores Department, CSD as it is commonly referred to, was created to provide‘easy access to quality products of daily use,at prices less than market rates’ to the soldiers, ex-servicemen and their families. Today, because of the surging aspirations of Service personnel and their families and the media exposure to the improving standards of living in our country, the CSD provides a range of quality branded and unbranded products from shoe brushes to microwave ovens and cooking oil to luxury cars. The portfolio has grown from just a few items of daily use in 1948 (when the Department was created) to over four thousand products today. Information on all these products and brands is available on this web site through a “know-all” Search Engine for the benefit of the consumer. CSD like other chains has adopted best trade practices in all aspects of it’s operations but what distinguishes the Department from any and all other chains is that it is not driven by the profit motive!
Functioning of CSD
CSD’s trading operation is worked around seven basic product Groups.
Group I – Toiletries
Group II – Household Requisites
Group III – General Use Items
Group IV – Watches and Stationery
Group V – Liquor
Group VI – Food & Medicinal Items
Group VII – 4 Wheelers, 2 Wheelers & White goods.
While all these products are procured based on demand from URCs, products in Group VII cannot be stored at URCs and neither can they be shelved! For this reason, CSD procures these items from the trade on behalf of the end user “Against Firm Demand” (AFD).
CSD Supply Chain
The Department has 34 depots strategically located across India. This is the core strength of the CSD, which puts its operation in close proximity to the thousands of URCs it has mandated to serve. These Depots are the hub of the CSD chain.
Earlier, all supplies to these Depots were routed through the Base Depot in Mumbai, however, due to the expansion of the operation, suppliers are now given the option to supply locally to Depots closest to their manufacturing/supply centres. This has reduced lead time and improved overall operation of the Department.
The “power centre” of CSD is Adelphi, a six storey structure in the commercial and financial centre of Mumbai alongside the famous Churchgate Station. Adelphi houses the office of the Chairman Board of Administration and General Manager of CSD and all leading functional departments including:
• Management Services
• Secretariat Branch
• Finance & Accounts
• Personnel & Administration
• Electronic Data Processing
• Stores Branch (GS, LIF and AFD sections)
What are the main changes for Purchase of CSD Items from 01 Sept 2021
- Limits for monthly purchase of Grocery Items has been revised.
- AFD-2 Items – Items costs more than 2000 can be purchased through Primary Card, Dependent card and Liquor Card also .
- Entitlement for purchase of AFD-2 items on dependent card and Liquor Card is as under :
For dependent (One) – 20,000
For Dependent (Two) – 10,000 each
Liquor card – 20,000
Items of AFD-2 category have been revised .
Know more about the Welfare schemes for Exservicemen in our website. You may get a Class-V Army Vehicles from Indian Army.
Sir, as part of digital India, Mobile phones and laptops also be introduced to CSDs.