What CSD is

The Canteen Stores Department (CSD) is a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Defence that runs a subsidised retail network — canteens and depots — for the defence community. It exists to make everyday goods and select big-ticket items more affordable for serving and retired personnel and their families, with 34 CSD Depots covering different regions of the country.

Who is eligible

Eligibility isn't limited to serving personnel. It generally covers:

  • Serving personnel of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Assam Rifles
  • Ex-Servicemen who completed a minimum qualifying period of service, or were medically discharged with pension
  • Certain defence civilian employees with valid service ID
  • War widows and family pensioners
  • Eligible dependants — typically spouses, unmarried children up to a defined age (or until employed), and dependent parents, per current CSD rules

Because eligibility rules and age cut-offs for dependants can be revised, treat the categories above as a starting orientation, not a final determination — confirm your specific case with your Unit Run Canteen (URC) or the nearest CSD depot.

How the smart card system works

The CSD Smart Card is the access credential for the system — it identifies you as an eligible member and is used to track purchases against your category's entitlements at canteens nationwide. There are different card types for different purposes:

  • Grocery card — for everyday items: toiletries, household goods, food and medicine, purchased at CSD canteens.
  • AFD (Against Firm Demand) — a separate process for larger, higher-value items like vehicles and electronics, ordered against demand rather than bought off a shelf.

Purchase limits

Grocery card purchases carry a monthly spending limit that varies by rank category — historically structured around distinct bands for officers, JCOs and other ranks. These figures are revised periodically, so rather than publishing a specific number here that could quickly go stale, the reliable move is to check your current limit directly with your URC or CSD depot when you're planning a purchase.

Finding your nearest canteen

CSD depots and unit canteens are distributed by region rather than uniformly by city, so "nearest" depends on which depot your area falls under. This site doesn't yet have a dedicated CSD locator — the most reliable current path is checking with your Unit Run Canteen or nearest defence station, since they can confirm the specific depot and canteen serving your location.