Solution:

District Industries Centers (DICs):

• The District Industries Centers (DICs) were established in May 1978 to provide an integrated administrative framework at the district level for the promotion of small-scale industries in rural areas.

• The DICs are envisaged as a single-window interacting agency with the entrepreneur at the district level. Services and support to small entrepreneurs are provided under a single roof through the DICs.

• They are the implementing arm, of the Central and State Governments for various schemes and programmers. Registration of small industries is done at the district industries centres.

• The organizational structure of DICs consists of General Manager, four Functional Managers and three Project Managers to provide technical service in the area relevant to the needs of the district concerned.

• Management of the DICs are done by the State Governments. The scheme has now been transferred to the states and from the year 1993-to 94, funds will not be provided by the Central Government to the States for running the DICs.

Functions:

• The DICs role is mainly promotional and developmental. To attain this, they have to perform the following main functions :

• To conduct industrial potential surveys keeping in view the availability of resources in terms of material and human skill, infrastructure, demand for the product, etc. To prepare techno-economic surveys and identify product lines and then provide investment advice to entrepreneurs.

• To prepare an action plan to effectively implement the schemes identified.

• To guide entrepreneurs in matters relating to selecting the most appropriate machinery and equipment, sources of its supply and procedure for procuring imported machinery, if needed, assessing requirements for raw materials etc.

• To appraise the worthiness of the various proposals received from entrepreneurs.

• To assist the entrepreneurs in marketing their products and assess the possibilities of secularisation and export promotion of their products.

• To undertake product development work appropriate to small industries.

• To conduct artisan training programmers.

• To function as the technical arms of DRDA in administering IRD and TRYSEM programmers.