1 september 2024 : A ban imposed on the sale of imported items in Canteen Stores Department outlets (army canteens), which sell goods at subsidised rates to soldiers, ex-servicemen and their families, four years ago has spurred the Make in India initiative, with several firms now producing their wares in the country, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday.
The sale of 431 directly imported items in CSD outlets across the country was stopped in October 2020 after the defence ministry passed an order to support the “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan” (self-reliant India movement), said one of the officials cited above on the condition of anonymity.
“This has had a positive effect as many firms shifted their manufacturing to India. As a result, 255 of the 431 items that were banned have been reintroduced in CSD,” said a second official, who also asked not to be named.
The CSD’s catalogue includes various products like cars, two-wheelers, liquor, white goods, home essentials, food items, toiletries, luggage, watches, footwear, stationery and other general items. CSD sells goods worth thousands of crores every year.
The branded products now reintroduced include television sets, refrigerators, cosmetic products, sports shoes, sunglasses and table fans, HT has learnt. The list of firms that have started manufacturing in the country wasn’t immediately available.
The 2020 ban on the sale of directly imported goods in the army canteens was part of the government’s overarching strategy to push self-reliance in different sectors.
India, for instance, has taken a raft of measures to boost self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector, including phased bans on the import of hundreds of weapons and systems, and thousands of sub-systems and components.
The other steps include creating a separate budget for buying locally made military hardware, increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) from 49% to 74% and improving ease of doing business.
The army is equally focussed on ensuring better living experience and improved facilities for troops, high quality rations, technology absorption and optimal employment of various resources to ensure combat readiness, the officials said.
The army has tied up with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to explore its countrywide network for ensuring quality assurance of rations delivered to the troops.
Also, joint logistics nodes have proved successful in providing integrated logistics to the three services with optimal resource utilisation, and last-mile connectivity in mountainous terrain is transitioning from animal transport to trucks, and all terrain and rugged terrain vehicles, the officials said.
As part of its environment-friendly initiatives, the army is partnering with the National Thermal Power Corporation to set up a green hydrogen plant to power its Chushul garrison and buses in Leh, they added.