Hello friends. Another issue bothering CSD beneficiaries and Canteens is the expiry and renewal of our canteen smart card. The problem gets aggravated due to lack of knowledge at all levels. Let me clarify.

1. Expiry of card- (a) all canteen smart cards have a life of 10 years from the date of issue. After which they expire and stop working automatically. This date is mentioned on all cards less cards of serving pers (which will now be mentioned on all cards printed after 01Apr21). (b) for serving pers, the card expires on the date of retirement, as mentioned in the application form or after 10 years of life of card whichever is earlier.
2. Renewal of card- (a) can be done three months before the date of expiry of card by filling fresh application through any canteen. (b) 3 months before expiry of card, a warning is printed on all your bills that your card is about to expire on XX date. Renew it. (c) it’s also flashed in the cmptr of billing clerk
3. Annual renewal of card- In addition, all ESM, civ defence employees both serving and retired are required to renew their cards every year from the parent canteen. (This is now being changed to any nearest canteen) No fresh application is required for this, it’s done on CIMS in the canteen itself.
4. Problem is people do not come to know, they do not see date of expiry on the card or in the bill, billing clerk doesn’t tell, hence application is not sent in time or till the day the card actually expires and stops working.
5. Application for new cards can be forwarded three months before the card expires. You can keep using old cards till new cards are received. No need to deposit old cards with application. New cards are made within 45-60 days of submission of application.
6. Activation of new card- is to be done in front of you by the CIMS clerk. The pin is system generated, which should be done in your presence to ensure that no one else activates your card and misuses it. This is also not followed in cases, resulting in lot of cases where beneficiary has not collected or activated the card, and the canteen staff has activated and misused it before handing over to the beneficiary. To prevent this please ensure you activate in your presence and pin is generated in your presence.
7. Customer must insist on getting printout his card activation details. The print out will clearly show entitlement ,. If any quota has been utilised it will show that too, activation date and time. Customers must refuse to accept cards without this print out.
   8.Every applicant is sent a sms when his application is received and another sms when his card is personalised/ application rejected . Customer is advised to contact canteen after 15-20 days after 2nd sms ..in case he doesn’t receive the card/ rejection note even a month after 2nd sms he must report it to canteen services directorate (CS Dte)
8. This is the present system. Please pass it to maximum beneficiaries and URCs so that they are not harrassed due to lack of clarity.
9. Improvements in the system including online applications for cards are being planned.
   JAIHIND