December 21: The Canteen Stores Department (CSD), which provides items of vital importance from matchboxes to Maruti cars to jawans of India's armed forces, turns 50 on January 1, 1998.A series of programmes will be held to celebrate the CSD's golden jubilee, starting with a function at Y B Chavan auditorium on New Year's Day, which will be attended by Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and other defence personnel.Chairman of Board of Administration and General Manager of CSD Major General Jagdish Chander said the department has made great growth since its inception in 1948. The CSD provides quality consumer items to jawans at a price cheaper than the market rate, he said. It has 33 area depots spread across India and 3400 unit-run canteens.
