RURAL INDUSTRIES SERVICE CENTRES ( RISC ) 

"Rural Industry- Service Centre (RISC) is the Common Facility Unit which aims to provide infrastructural support and necessary services to the local units to upgrade their production capacity, skill upgradation and market promotion."

Objectives of the Programme :

• Provide backward forward linkages to Khadi & V.I. activities in a cluster
• To provided services like raw material support, skill up-gradation,' training, Quality Control, Testing facilities, marketing promotion, design & product development in order to strengthen the rural clusters.

Implementing Agency:
(1) KVIC and State KVIBs.
(2) National level / State level Khadi and V. I. Federations
(3) Khadi and V.I. Institutions affiliated to KVIC and KVIBs.
(4) NGO who have already worked in implementation of programme relating to development of rural artisans in activities excluding the negative list of KVIC with financial assistance at least for 3 projects from any Ministry of State / Central Government, CAPART, NABARD and UN agencies.

One of the following services must be covered by the Rural Industry Service Centre (RISC)

a) Provide testing facilities by establishing laboratory to ensure quality of the products.
b) Provide improved machinery / equipment to be utilised as common utility facilities by the nearby units / artisans to enhance production capacity or value addition of the product
c) Provide attractive and appropriate packaging facilities and machineries to the local units / artisans for better marketing of their products.

In addition of the above facilities RISC can also cater to following services :

i) Provide training facilities to upgrade artisan's skill in order to increase their earnings.
ii) Provide new design or new product, diversified product in consultation with experts/agencies for a value addition of rural manufacturing units.
iii)Provide raw material support which mainly depend on seasonal procurement.
iv) Prepare product catalogue.

Types of Khadi & Village Industries to be covered under Rural Industry Service Centre (RISC) :

• Khadi & Poly Vastra post weaving value addition facilities.
• Herbal products: Cosmetics and Medicines.
• Edible Oil,
• Detergents &. Soaps. %     Honey
• Hand Made Paper %     Food processing
• Bio-Fertilizer / Bio-Pesticides / Bio Manure
• Potteries
• Leather
• Woodwork
• All other V.I. except those which are in the negative list.

Operational Modalities:

• For the purpose of establishing Rural Industry Service Centre (RISC), A) it may be ensured that the number of artisans/ Village Industries units benefited shall not be less than 125 individual artisans or 25 REGPunits/Vl Institutions/Societies for projects upto Rs.25.00 lakhs. B) it may be ensured that the number of artisans/Village Industries units shall not be less than 25 individual artisans or 5 REGP units/VI Institutions/Societies for projects upto Rs.5.00 lakhs.
• The implementing agency/Organisation should have its own land where the Rural  Industry Service Centre  (RISC) will be established.
• The period of setting up of the project should not be more than 6 months.
• After submission of the proposal by the implementing agency to set up Rural industry Service Centre (RISC), with technical feasibility as per the guidelines above and place the proposal with his recommendations before State Level Committee.
• The funds shall be released based on the progress of work report received periodically from State/Divisional Director and based on activities of the project and also within a specific time frame for timely completion of the project.
• The State/Divisional Director of the concerned state where the project is located shall ensure monitoring and evaluation and timely completion of project.
• After obtaining approval by the State Level Committee for setting up of project State/Divisional Director will intimate to concerned Industry Programme Directors at Central Office of the Commission.

Monitoring:

1.   State / Divisional Office of  the Commission will conduct periodical inspection of the project to ensure that the project is functioning in accordance with the modalities of the RISC.
2.   Industry / Programme   Director   concern   will   conduct inspection once the project is fully established and into operation.
3.   The Directorate of VIC will arrange to conduct the physical verification of the project after one year from the date of its functioning.

Stages of Programme Implementation:

• Identification of the cluster.
• Selection of a Cluster Development Agency.
• Technical feasibility by an expert or an agency with expertise.
• Project formulation.
• Approval of the project and release of funds.
• Monitoring and Evaluation.