The first seminar on Design Clinic Scheme for Design Expertise, a component of National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme was held here today. It is a unique and ambitious design intervention scheme for the country’s large micro, small and medium scale enterprises, which combines design awareness programmes and project based design assistance.
Inaugurating the Seminar, Shri Dinesh Rai, Secretary, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, said that in order to become successful, Indian MSMEs will need to adopt a global mindset to build and achieve cost excellence, acquire market rapidly, strengthen design and innovation skill, build a global or regional operating footprint and master the ability to design world class products and process.
Explaining the scheme and its importance in today’s competitive world market he added that the objective of Design Clinic Scheme is to enhance industry understanding on application of design and innovation. This will promote design as value added activity and integrate it into mainstream business processes of MSMEs. The goal is to help MSME manufacturing industries, move up the value chain by switching the production mode from Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) to Original Design Manufacturing (ODM).
The general approach is to bring Indian manufacturing sector and design expertise on to a common platform and to provide expert advice and cost effective solutions on real time design problems, resulting in new product development or value addition for existing products.
The purpose of various components under this scheme will be to increase the awareness of the value of design and also to establish design learning in the micro, small and medium sized industries, in order to increase the competitiveness of local products and services through design. The scheme is divided in two major parts viz. Design Awareness and Design Project work. The total scheme budget will be Rs.73.58 crore, out of which Rs. 49.08 crore will be Government assistance and the balance amount will be contributed by the beneficiary MSMEs. About 200 clusters will be covered under this scheme. It has been decided that the scheme will be implemented through National Institute of Design (NID).
Speaking on the occasion Shri Madhav Lal, AS & DC (MSME), said that Design Clinic Scheme is one of the key component of NMCP which will bring the Design expertise to the doorstep of MSME sector. The potential products for industrial design will be in the areas such as hospital appliances and furniture, light engineering products, consumer items and electrical appliances, house-hold and office furniture, leather/jute/textile products, bags etc., decorative items-ceramic/glass/wood items and the purpose will be to enhance visual appearance, user friendliness/ease of operation, lowering of cost/material content and other related features.
Shri Pradyumna Vyas, Director, National Institute of Design highlighted the approach of the implementation of Design Clinic Scheme and said, “This significant government assistance will help the country’s large sector move up the value chain”.
The seminar was attended by senior officials of the Ministry, leading industries associations, Design consultants and students of design institutes.
Source: Press Release issued by Ministry of Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises
