District Industries Centre (DIC)

The institutions studied so far work at the national or state level. But the entrepreneur actually lives and works in a district. To bring all support close to the entrepreneur, the District Industries Centre (DIC) was set up.

The DIC programme was launched by the Government of India in 1978 with the object of providing all the services and support needed by small, tiny, and village entrepreneurs under a single roof at the district level. Each district has a DIC, which acts as the focal point (single-window agency) for the development of small and village industries in that district.

Main functions of the District Industries Centre:

1. Registration. Registering small, tiny, and micro units and issuing the acknowledgement/registration (today the Udyam registration) that entitles a unit to various benefits.
2. Guidance and single-window help. Guiding new entrepreneurs on how to select a product, prepare a project report, and obtain loans, licences, and clearances — all from one place, so that the entrepreneur need not run from office to office.
3. Help in obtaining finance. Assisting entrepreneurs in getting loans from banks and financial institutions and in claiming government subsidies and incentives.
4. Arranging raw materials and machinery. Helping units get scarce raw materials and machinery.
5. Marketing assistance. Helping small units market their products locally and secure government orders.
6. Training. Organising entrepreneurship-development and skill-training programmes in the district, especially for educated unemployed youth, women, and weaker sections.
7. Identifying opportunities. Surveying the district's resources and identifying viable products and business opportunities suited to local conditions. …