Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 1

Ex-servicemen and serving soldiers in the state have expressed resentment over the failure of the Ministry of Defence and the state government to open a cantonment-cum-CSD depot in the Shivaliks that will provide them cheaper liquor, grocery and other items. They get these at a higher rate from Army’s CSD canteens as there is no CSD depot in the state.Capt Jagdish Verma (retd), president, Honorary Commissioned Officers’ Welfare Association of Himachal Pradesh, said, “Ex-servicemen are paying through their nose. We get a liquor bottle for Rs 300 at the CSD in the state that costs Rs 193 in Haryana and Chandigarh. Besides, we have to pay 6.5 per cent excise duty and 2 per cent extra VAT on each item”.“Grocery and liquor cost more at CSDs in Himachal because these items are transported by road from CSD depots of Ambala, Jalandhar and Pathankot,” he said.Social Justice and Empowerment and Sainik Welfare Minister Col Dhani Ram Shandil said he would take up the matter with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar soon. “We have been demanding that the ministry should open a cantonment and Dogra regiment centre in the Shivaliks,” he added.“We support the issue raised by ex-servicemen. If we have a CSD depot, it will provide cheaper liquor, grocery and other consumer items to over 1.4 lakh ex-servicemen in the state, which has also equal number of serving soldiers in the armed forces,” he added.“The demand for cantonment-cum-CSD depot is pending since long. We have identified land at Amb in Una or Bilaspur and will soon replead our case with Parrikar,” Shandil said.