Lok Sabha Question No. 1629 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-21
Subject: Canteen Store Department
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Dhanush M Kumar, C.N. Annadurai, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Gautham Sigamani Pon, Ganesan Selvam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1629

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 st  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## CANTEEN STORE DEPARTMENT

1629. SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR: SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI: SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON: SHRI SELVAM G.:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE j{kk ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the employees of Canteen Store Department (CSD) are entitled to avail Canteen facilities  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  number  of  employees  who  are  benefitted through the said facility;
- (b)  the  details  of  companies  supplying  goods  to  military  canteens  in  the  country  and  the criteria fixed by the Government for the said companies in supplying the goods;
- (c) whether there are limited number of military canteens in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra and if so, whether the Government proposes to set up more military canteens in these States;
- (d) the criteria fixed by the Government to avail canteen facilities;
- (e)  whether  CSD  canteens  are  selling  food  items  of  sub-standard  quality  and  a  large percentage  of  food  items  are  not  tested  and  some  items  are  of  expired  dates  and  if so,  the details thereof and the action taken in this regard; and
- (f) whether the Government has reviewed the functioning of these CSDs recently and if so, the details and the outcome thereof including the follow up action taken by the Government thereon?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)

- (a)  CSD  Cadre  employees  are  Govt  employees  and  paid  out  of  Defence  Estimate  Budget. Hence, they are entitled to avail Canteen facilities.  The number of CSD employees is 2141.
- (b) 436 companies are supplying goods against order placed by CSD Head Office based on the consumption pattern of URCs (Unit Run Canteens).

(c)  There  are  adequate  number  of  Unit  Run  Canteens  in  the  states  of  Tamil  Nadu  and Maharashtra. Besides, on the request of Ex-servicemen (ESM), Unit Run Canteens have been opened up where the strength of ESM is more than 5000. No proposal is pending with Army Headquarter for opening of additional URCs in Tamil Nadu & Maharashtra.

(d)  The  criteria  for  availing  canteen  facilities  is  laid  down  at  CS  Directorate  policy  No. 95350/Q/DDGCS/Policy/2018 dated 23 Mar 2018. Broadly, individual canteen smart cards are entitled to the following:- i.  Armed Forces personnel (including Coast Guard) with minimum 5 years of physical service.

ii. All ranks of Assam Rifles and SFF, at par with Armed Forces personnel.

iii. All serving personnel of APS with minimum 5 years of service.

iv.  All  serving  DSC  personnel,  including  Ex-DSC  personnel  who  are  in  receipt  of pension from defence services estimates.

v. Territorial Army personnel with minimum 5 years of physical service.

vi.  Ex-Gentleman Cadets/Ex Recruits who are in receipt of disability pension, through defence services estimates, irrespective of length of service.

vii. Serving defence civilians in receipt of pay through defence service estimates.

viii.  Retired  defence  civilians  and  their  family  pensioners,  in  receipt  of  pension  from defence services estimates (Grocery only).

ix.  Judges and Staff of AFT (Grocery only)

x. NCC personnel.

xi. Civil GT drivers being paid through defence services estimates (Grocery only).

xii.  Veernaris/Widows/NoK  of  Armed  forces  personnel  (including  Coast  Guard  and DGBR) who are in receipt of pension through defence services estimates.

xiii.  Widows of Short Service Officers (only those who have completed their terms of engagement)

In addition to this, following category of individuals are also authorized for canteen facility:-

- i.  EC Officers/Widows of EC Officers.
- ii.  Widows of WW-I & WW-II
- iii. Civilian staff on deputation with MoD
- iv. Marital discord cases.

(e) All food items are FSSAI certified and are periodically tested atleast once in six months by Army Medical Authority.  Hence, no substandard quality of food items are sold in Unit Run Canteens (URCs)

(f) Functioning of CSD is being reviewed periodically by Canteen Stores Department (CSD), Service  Headquarters  &  by  MoD,  and  follow  up  action  is  taken  as  per  decisions  taken  in these review meetings.

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