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Industrial development is crucial for the growth of an economy. Being an agricultural country, the focus in India mainly relied on agriculture. However, when the economy plateaued, the government launched a program to set up District Industries Centres in 1978.

A DIC (District Industries Centre) also offers numerous schemes to facilitate the growth of industries in rural areas of the country. Read on to learn about District Industries Centres, their role, schemes, and more.

What is a District Industries Centre?

The main aim of a District Industries Centre, DIC for short, is to shift the focus on the development of cottage and small-scale industries. Through a DIC, the government aims to offer the resources that villages and small entrepreneurs need and thereby promote industrialisation.

As mentioned, District Industries Centres help promote the growth of industries in the rural and remote areas of the country. DICs aim to ensure that entrepreneurs can get all the required resources from one place. This would eliminate unnecessary back and forth between different institutions. 

A DIC does more than offer financial aid. It also provides training and promotional help through various schemes. Given that DICs are a part of the central scheme, the funding provided by them comes from the central government and not the state government.

These centres operate on a district level and as such there are multiple DICs in a state. At the Joint Director Level, a General Manager heads DICs with the help of an administrative assistant and managers specialising in credit, handloom, development, economic investigation. 

Role of District Industries Centres (DICs)

In a broader sense, the role of a DIC (District Industries Centre) is to offer support to small and village entrepreneurs to facilitate growth. Under this, the responsibilities of a DIC includes the following:

  • Ensure that registered business owners get the necessary support in establishing their business

  • Encourage the growth and development manufacturing companies situated in urban and rural areas

  • Offer self-employed individuals with the necessary tools and equipment for their business

  • Provide single window clearing system to facilitate easy and quick settlement of issues seamlessly

  • Assess the implementation and functioning of schemes offered to ensure support is offered smoothly

  • Offer financial aid to startups, MSMEs, and companies under the Startup India Scheme to facilitate growth

Schemes Under the District Industries Centres (DICs)

Through the schemes offered by a District Industries Centre, MSMEs, companies, entrepreneurs and others can access facilities and financing to boost their growth. 

Given below is an overview of the schemes of a District Industries Centre:

  • Prime Minister’s Employment Guarantee Program (PMEGP)

Centrally funded scheme by the Ministry of MSMEs, the District Industries Centres through this scheme empowers first-gen entrepreneurs to set up an establishment. It does so by merging PMRY and REGP. It offers 90% - 95% of ₹25 Lakhs to ₹10 Lakhs, respectively, as a loan from nationalised and regional rural banks.

  • Entrepreneurship Development Program

With this scheme, District Industries Centres trains educated unemployed individuals to try self-employment or other employment opportunities. The DIC also guides and trains business owners based on their industry activities.

  • District Award Scheme

To encourage small scale ventures and recognise the achievements and success of these business leaders, the state government offers this scheme. The award money under this scheme goes up to ₹15,000.

  • Seed Money Scheme

The main aim of this scheme is to encourage an unemployed individual to explore self-employment opportunities. The DICs offer financial assistance through soft loans. 

  • DIC Loan Scheme

Under this, the DIC offers funding to generate employment opportunities in towns and rural areas with a population of less than one lakh. 

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Eligibility Criteria to Apply Under the District Industries Centres (DICs)

The eligibility criteria of District Industries Centres schemes vary for every scheme and program. The general requirements for eligibility require you to be above the age of 18 and having cleared 8th standard. 

Following are eligible for schemes of District Industries Centres provided they meet eligibility criteria:

  • Individuals belonging to OBCs, SCs, and safai karamcharis families

  • Physically disabled professionals (CAs, doctors, engineers, advocates, and others)

Functions of District Industries Centres (DICs)

To facilitate its main objective, District Industries Centres perform the following functions:

  • Prepare Industrial Profiles and Feasibility Reports

Setting up units and offering services require extensive research about the market, area, and opportunities. By creating these reports, DICs help entrepreneurs make informed decisions to ensure sustainability and growth.

  • Guide Entrepreneurs Towards Opportunities

Business owners who are just starting may miss out on opportunities that can boost their establishments due to lack of information. DICs help resolve by guiding these business owners towards opportunities that promote growth on a business level and on an industrial level.

  • Assist Business Owners in Obtaining Licences

Depending on the type of establishment, entrepreneurs need to acquire numerous licences to ensure smooth operations. District Industries Centres help business owners navigate this issue by facilitating these licences.

  • Assess Labour Requirements

Adequate manpower is an essential aspect of ensuring that business functions operate smoothly. Over or under employment can affect the business finances in the long run. DICs offer insight about labour requirements based on the industry requirements.

  • Offer Investment Advice

For growth, personal and business, investments play a pivotal role. DICs help business owners manage their needs by offering consultation based on their needs. This way, they can make informed decisions and ensure that their investments align with the business goals.

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Activities Under District Industries Centres (DICs)

In line with the roles and functions, a DIC (District Industries Centre) performs a number of activities. Some of these activities are: 

  • Offer assistance for raw materials and marketing through SIDCO

  • Register and grant subsidies to SSI units

  • Organise Industrial Cooperative Society

  • Implement PM Rozgar Yojana

  • Facilitate Single window clearance

  • Train business owners through the Entrepreneur Development Program

  • Conduct motivation campaigns

  • Recommend SSI units for awards

  • Revive sick SSI units

  • Recommend banks for loans and grants under KVIC scheme

  • Distribute project profile to business owners

  • Register cottage or handicrafts industries

  • Allot sheds in electronic industrial and electrical estates

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Additional Functions of DICs

Along with the functions mentioned above, a District Industry Centre (DIC) also has the following functions:

  • Provide funding to business owners through loans from banks, NBFCs, and other financial institutions

  • Monitor district-wise flow of industrial credit

  • Train business owners through the training courses and programs offered

  • Arrange supply of machines and tools 

  • Assign locations for acquiring the required tools and machinery

  • Conduct surveys to offer better and in-depth insights about industry trends and forecasts

  • Work with SSI units and offer training programs to promote growth of rural artisans

  • Guide business owners in developing products and services with better quality through training programs

District Industries Centres (DICs) in Various States

Given below is an overview of District Industries Centres present throughout the country:

State

No. of District Industries Centres (DICs)

Districts with DICs

Andhra Pradesh

13

Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Kurnool, Kadappa, Anantapur, Chittoor, S.P.S.R. Nellore

Arunachal Pradesh

16

Tawang, Bomdila, Seppa, Yupia, Ziro, Koloriang, Daporijo, Along, Yingkiong, Pasighat, Anini, Roing, Tezu, Anjaw, Changlang, Khonsa

Assam

19

Dibrugarh, Mangaldoi, Kamroop, Barnagaon, Rangauti, Jorhat, Sonitpur, Nalbari, Kokrajhar, Dhemaji, Guwahati, Rajagaon, Tinsukia, Haflong, Karimganj, Sivasagar, Gauripur, Chanbarikhuti, Diphu

Bihar

38

Araria, Arwal, Aurangabad, Banka, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Buxar, Darbhanga, East Champaran, Gaya, Gopalganj, Jamui, Jehanabad, Kaimur, Khagaria, Kishanganj, Lakhisarai, Madhepura, Madhubani, Munger, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Nawada, Patna, Purnea, Rohtas, Saharsa, Samastipur, Saran, Sheikhpura, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Siwan, Supaul, Vaishali, West Champaran

Gujarat

32

Ahmedabad, Amreli, Anand, Banaskantha, Bharuch, Bhavnagar, Dahod, Gandhinagar, Jamnagar, Junagarh, Kheda, Kachchh-Bhuj, Mehsana, Narmada, Navsari, Panchmahal, Patan, Porbandar, Rajkot, Sabarkantha, Surat, Surendranagar, Tapi, Vadodara, Valsad, Botad, Morbi, Devbhumi Dwarka, Gir Somnath, Aravalli, Mahisagar, Chhota Udaipur

Haryana

21

Ambala, Bahadurgarh, Bhiwani, Faridabad, Fatehabad, Gurgaon, Jind, Kaithal, Karnal, kurukshetra, Mewat, narnaul, Panchkula, Panipat, Palwal, Rewari, Rohtak, Sirsa, Hisar, Sonepat, Yamuna Nagar

Himachal Pradesh

7

Hamirpur, Solan, Nahan, Kullu, Bilaspur, Shimla, Dharamshala

Jammu & Kashmir

20

Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Shopian, Ganderbal

Jharkhand

20

Palamu, Garhwa, Latehar, Hazaribagh, Koderma Chatra, Ramgarh, Giridih, Dhanbad Bokaro, Lohardaga, Gumla Simdega, Ranchi Khunti, Chaibasa, Jamshedpur, Saraikhela Kharsawan, Deogarh, Dumka Jamtara, Sahebganj, Pakur, Godda

Karnataka

30

Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bellary, Bidar, Vijayapura, Chamarajnagar, Chikkamangalur, Chikkaballapur, Chitradurga, D. Kannada, Dharwad, Davangere, Gadag, Kalburgi, Hassan, Haveri, Kodagu, Kolar, Koppal, Mandya, Mysore, Raichur, Ramanagara, Shimoga, Tumkur, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Yadagir.

Kerala

14

Thiruvananthampuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Allapuzha, Kottayam, Edukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Pallakad, Mallapuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasargod

Ladhak

2

Kargil, Leh

Madhya Pradesh

14

Bhopal, Ujjain, Indore,Gwalior, Khandwa, Jabalpur, Katni, Umaria, Neemuch, Raisen, Panna, Shajapur, Paraswar, Kawardha,

Maharashtra

33

Ahmadnagar, Amravati, Akola, Aurangabad, Beed, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Dhule, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Hingoli, Jalana, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Latur, Nagpur, Nanded, Nandurbar, Nashik, Osmanabsd, Parbhani, Pune, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Satara, Sindhudurg, Solapur, Thane, Wardha, Washim, Yavatamal

Manipur

9

Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Churachandpur, Chandel, Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong

Meghalaya

8

East Khasi Hills District, West Khasi Hills District, West Jaintia Hills District, West Garo Hills District, East Garo Hills District, South Garo Hills District, South Jaintia Hills District, Ri Bhoi District,

Mizoram

8

Kolasib, Mamit, Aizawl, Serchhip, Champhai, Lunglei, Lawn Tak, Saiha

Nagaland

4

Dimapur, Wokha, Chozuba, Kohima

Odisha

31

Cuttack, Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Gajapati, Balasore, Bolangir, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jagatpur, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Phulbani, Rayagada, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Angul, Baragarh, Bhadrak, Boudh, Deogarh, Jagatsinghpur, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Malkangiri, Naupada, Nayagarh, Nabarangpur, Subarnapur

Punjab

18

Amritsar, Batala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Mandi Gobindgarh, Mansa, Moga, Mohali, Muktsar, Nawansharh, Patiala, Ludhiana, Chandigarh

Rajasthan

36

Ajmer, Alwar, Banswara, Baran, Barmer, Bharatpur, Bhilwara. Bikaner, Bundi, Chattisgarh, Churu, Dausa, Dholpur, Dungarpur, Hanumangarh, Jaipur, Jisalmer, Jalore, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Karauli, Kota, Nagaur, Pali, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Sawai Madhopur, Sikar, Sirohi, Sri Ganganagar, Tonk, Udaipur

Sikkim

2

Gangtok, Jorethang

Tamil Nadu

32

Ariyalur, Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode, Kaanchipuram, Kanyakumari, Karur, Krishngiri, Madurai, Nagapattinam, Namakkal, The Nilgiris, Perambalur, Puddukottai, Ramanathpuram, Salem, Sivagangai, Thanjavur, Theni, Tiruchirapalli, Tirupur, Thiruvalur, Thiruvannamalai, Thiruvarur, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Vellore, Villupuram, Virudhanagar.

Tripura

8

Dhalai, Spahijala, Khowai, Gomti, Unakoti, North Tripura, South Tripura, West Tripura

Uttarakhand

13

Dehradun, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Gopeshwar, Rudraprayag, Kotdwar, Roorkee, Udhamsingh Nagar, Haldwani, Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat , Pithoragarh

Uttar Pradesh

11

Bulandshahr, Azamgarh, Bijnor, Saharanpur, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Moradabad, Gorakhpur, Sultanpur, Faizabad

West Bengal

10

Howrah, Malda, Jalpaiguri, Paschim Medinipur, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Purulia, Cooch Behar, South 24 Parganas District, Nadia

Conclusion

District Industries Centres have been around since 1978, and have played a fundamental role in the growth of entrepreneurship across industries. The numerous schemes of District Industries Centres have resulted in increased employment opportunities.

All in all, DICs help shift the focus of the economy towards industrial growth and boost MSMEs and small businesses, all of which ultimately improve the economic growth of the country.

FAQs About District Industries Centres

The eligibility for a loan from a DIC, District Industries Centre, depends on the scheme under which you apply. The general requirements are that you must have passed 8th standard and be above the age of 18.

A District Industries Centre, DIC for short, aims to shift the focus from agriculture towards industries. DICs do this by offering the necessary resources to the entrepreneurs situated in the rural areas.

The government offers District Industries Centres a maximum of 70% of the actual expenditure, subject to a maximum of ₹3.75 Lakhs.

The maximum amount offered by the government to District Industries Centres in case of non-recurring grant for construction of office is ₹2 Lakhs.

To get a District Industries Centre certificate, you need to submit a few documents. This includes your Aadhaar, bank details, business name, address, business type, start date of the business, main business activity, and more. You can get the complete list of documents required by contacting a District Industries Centre nearest to you.

To avail of a District Industries Centre loan scheme, you can fill out the form available on the District Industries Centre website relevant to your area. You can even contact the DIC by visiting their office or through a call/ email to know the exact process.

The interest rate on a loan from a District Industries Centre depends on the scheme you avail and can range between 3% to 12% per annum. You can check this information at the time of applying to ensure that you make an informed decision and get the best deal.

It can range from anywhere between 3 years and 10 years.

The promoter’s contribution for a loan from DIC, District Industries Centre, varies as per the scheme you avail and can go up to 10% of the total amount.

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