District Industries Centres (DICs)

With a view to promoting entrepreneurial development, the Central Government launched the District Industries Centre (DIC) programme in 1978. A DIC acts as a focal point providing support to the micro, small, medium, cottage industries at the district level.  

District Industries Centres The main objectives of DICs include the following:

• Facilitate entrepreneurial capacity building for small and rural industries at the district level

• Identify new entrepreneurs and provide assistance for their startup’s growth

• Offer financial assistance and support to smaller enterprises

• Promote industrialisation at the district level

• Help reduce the regional imbalance in the development of industries

• Offer support at the pre- and post-investment level

Here are the basic eligibility criteria to get a loan from DIC:

• The applicant’s age must be over 18 years

• The applicant must at least have cleared the eighth-grade

• The value of the enterprise must not exceed ₹10 Lakhs in case of manufacturing companies and ₹5 Lakhs in case of commercial or product sector

A District Industries Centre carries out the following activities:

• Provide in-principle clearance for LSI registration

• Provide a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for additional power

• Sanction a business’ change of name, change in the constitution, the inclusion of new items, or shifting of location

• Provide NOC for the inclusion of additional machinery or addition in place of business

• Provide a manufacturer’s certificate for quality control

• Assess the scarcity of raw materials

• Provide ISO 9000 reimbursement and running certificate

The following are some of the additional functions of the District Industries Centres:

• Provide information about the sources of raw materials and machinery to the concerned industries in the area

• Allot raw materials to industries functioning at the district level

• Promote new industrial growth centers

• Provide entrepreneurs with incentives provided by State Governments and funding assistance through government schemes 

• Make information about marketing, trade fairs, and buyer-seller meetings available to the concerned enterprises

• Offer guidance on the export and import of certain goods and services

• Provide assistance to solve problems related to SSI registration, bank loan, production, and more

• Promotes non-conventional sources of energy