The objective of Design Clinic scheme is to enhance industry understanding and application of design and innovation, and to promote design as a value adding activity and integrate it into mainstream business and industrial processes of MSME's. The goal is to help MSME manufacturing industries move up the value chain by switching the production mode from original equipment manufacturing to original design manufacturing.

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.

In this scheme, the value additions to an idea or a concept are imparted through interaction at a lesser cost to a specific industry/sector. It applies to a sector that requires intervention, like manufacturing, as the existing conventional models of design consultancy and training are not viable. This brings design exposure to the door-step of industry clusters for design improvement, evaluation, analysis and adopting even long-term consultancy/design related intervention.

Design Clinic scheme will be implemented through National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad which will act as single coordinating body responsible for delivering the scheme.

The Scheme

The purpose of the scheme is to increase the awareness of the value of design and establish design learning in the micro, small and medium sized industries (MSMEs), 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 MSME clusters are expected to be covered under this scheme.

A. Design Awareness - Seminar and Workshop

The objective is to create general awareness and sensitization about the value and power of design for businesses through seminars, talks, workshops and other engagement methods. It will be a combination of workshop/seminar and Design need Assessment Survey for the participant members of the selected cluster.

Maximum Government assistance up to Rs. 60, 000 (Rs. Sixty Thousand Only) will be provided for the conduct of each seminar (no private contribution). For the workshops Government assistance upto 75% of the expenditure (subject to max. of Rs 3.0 lakh) will be provided. The remaining amount will be contributed by the participating MSMEs

B. Design Project Funding

Through Need Analysis, the funding assistance will be provided to the MSMEs in their selection and engagement of design consultants/professionals:-

i. Design Clinic scheme shall support design project work by reimbursing 60% of the designer fee up to a maximum limit of Rs. 9.00 Lakhs (Rs. Nine Lakh only) in case of a group upto three MSME applicants.

ii. Design Clinic scheme shall support design project work by reimbursing 60% of the designer fee up to a maximum limit of Rs. 15 Lakhs (Rs. Fifteen Lakhs only) in case of a group of four or more MSME applicants.

iii. Under the scheme, Government assistance upto 75% (subject to maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh) will be available for final year student projects done for the MSME's.

Design Clinic Centre

NID will establish, Design Clinic Centre in Delhi for the effective implementation of the 'Design Clinic scheme'. Four regional centers will also be established by NID for the purpose of administering Design Clinics in different areas of the country.

The design clinic centre will function as the headquarters and an initiator of all activities under the scheme. The regional centers will be operated by National Institute of Design through competent technical institutes/agencies. The specific role of the regional centers will be to create general awareness and sensitization about the importance of design, to organize seminars for the MSME's, and to conduct specific training programmes/workshops for the MSME's, etc.