Ranchi, July 14: Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth chaired the 80th Board of Control Canteen Services (BOCCS) meeting in Ranchi, Jharkhand, where he reviewed the functioning of the Canteen Services Department (CSD) and emphasised the need to further improve services for serving Armed Forces personnel, ex-servicemen and their dependents.
The meeting focused on enhancing operational efficiency, expanding beneficiary-centric initiatives and accelerating the modernisation of the CSD network across the country.
Key Issues Reviewed
During the meeting, the Board deliberated on several important proposals, including:
- Enhancement of budgetary support for the Canteen Services Department.
- Modernisation of CSD depots and warehousing infrastructure.
- Extension of Central and State Government subsidies on electric two-wheelers purchased through CSD.
- Induction of products manufactured by cooperative institutions into the CSD supply chain.
- Human resource and administrative reforms to improve efficiency.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces and the Canteen Services Department attended the meeting.
Promoting ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’
Sanjay Seth said the ongoing transformation of CSD reflects the Government’s beneficiary-centric approach and aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat,’ ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi.’
He highlighted that products manufactured by organisations such as:
- Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED)
- Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
- National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED)
- National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL)
are being inducted into the CSD product portfolio in a phased manner. The initiative is expected to provide greater market access for artisans, tribal communities, farmers and cooperative institutions while promoting indigenous manufacturing.
Welfare Measures for Defence Personnel
The Raksha Rajya Mantri also stressed the need to ensure the availability of assistive devices for Divyang personnel, ex-servicemen and their dependents through the CSD network.
He reviewed several welfare initiatives aimed at improving accessibility and service delivery for veterans and their families.
Visit to Ramgarh CSD Depot
As part of his visit, Sanjay Seth inspected the CSD Depot at Ramgarh, one of the five pilot depots selected for comprehensive modernisation.
He reviewed the ongoing infrastructure upgrades designed to transform the facility into a modern warehousing and logistics hub capable of meeting the growing operational requirements of the CSD. Officials said the Ramgarh project will serve as a model for the phased modernisation of CSD depots across India.
Government Reaffirms Commitment
Concluding the review, the Raksha Rajya Mantri reiterated the Government’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of serving soldiers, veterans and their families.
He called for continuous innovation, efficient implementation of reforms and greater focus on beneficiary-centric initiatives to ensure that the Canteen Services Department continues to provide high-quality services to the defence community across the country.