The Small Scale Sector has emerged as dynamic and vibrant sector of Indian Economy and it has been making significant contribution to industrial production, export and employment generation. The process of economic liberalization and market reforms has opened up the Indian small scale sector to the global competition. In order to enhance the competitive strength of the small scale sector, the Government introduced an incentive scheme for their technological upgradation/quality improvement and environment management. The scheme provides incentive to those small scale/ ancillary undertaking who have acquired ISO 9000/ISO 14001 certifications. The scheme for ISO 9000 reimbursement in operation since March, 1994 has now been enlarged so as to include reimbursement of expenses for acquiring ISO 14001 certification also vide this Office Administrative Order No.41(8)/ISO/Electx./2002 dt. 28th October, 2002. More than 2375 SSI & ancillary units have already been benefited from the earlier scheme of ISO 9000 till 31st March, 2002.

The Salient features of the Scheme

1. The Scheme envisages reimbursement of charges of acquiring ISO-9000/ISO-14001 certifications to the extent of 75% of the expenditure subject to a maximum of Rs. 75,000/- in each case. The Scheme is valid upto 31st March'2007.
   
    

2. The Permanent Registered Small Scale/ancillary/Tiny/Small Scale Service Business Enterprises (SSSBE) units are eligible to avail the Incentive Scheme.
   
    

3. The Scheme is applicable to those SSI/ancillary/Tiny/SSSBE units who have already acquired ISO-9000/ISO-14001 certification.
   
    

4. It is an all India Scheme administered by Development Commissioner (SSI), Ministry of SSI, Govt. of India. With effect from 30.8.2006 procedure of the Screening Committee to decide the reimbursement has been discontinued and the Screening Committee has been dismantled to reduce delay in the sanctioning of reimbursement to the applicants. The Industrial Adviser co-ordinating this Scheme, has been delegated with powers to sanction the reimbursement as per the present provisions for reimbursement.
   
    

5. The Scheme shall provide one time reimbursement only against a Permanent SSI registration Certificate. The amount of incentive/subsidy/grant already availed for acquiring ISO 9000 or ISO 14001 Certification under any Central Govt. (including DCSSI Incentive Scheme)/State Govt. /Financial Institution shall be adjusted against the entitlement of reimbursement.
   
   It means the total entitlement of reimbursement of acquiring one or more than on certifications shall be up to the maximum limit of Rs. 75,000/- only. In case a unit has received reimbursement/subsidy/grant from Central Govt./State Govt./Financial Institution against any one of the certifications for an amount less than maximum limit of Rs. 75,000/-, the unit shall be eligible to receive the balance amount only.
   
    

6.  (a) Only one time reimbursement is allowed against a Permanent SSI registration for acquiring ISO-9000/ISO-14001 certification; irrespective of the fact whether the concerned SSI has one or more than one Unit(s) within the same premises/location or outside .
   
    (b) In case an ISO-9000/ISO-14001 certificate is obtained jointly by SSI units (even having a separate Permanent SSI registration certificates) under the corporate/group of Industries category, the total reimbursement shall be limited to 75% of the total expenditure incurred by the concerned units or Rs. 75,000/- whichever is less; and each SSI unit shall get the amount on pro-rata basis.

Guidelines for filling Application Format

The Formats of the Application & the required documents together with "Check List" are enclosed. Permanently registered SSI units from Maharashtra are required to submit their Application duly completed (with enclosures) addressed to the Director, MSME-Development Institute, Mumbai at the following address: