Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 26 August 2025
The District Industries Centre (DIC), Department of Industries, has invited aspiring entrepreneurs from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to apply under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). The scheme is being implemented in municipal areas, Shaheed and Swaraj Dweep of South Andaman District, and the Nancowrie Group of Islands in Nicobar District.
Launched in 2008, the PMEGP aims to generate employment opportunities in both rural and urban areas by encouraging the establishment of new self-employment ventures and micro enterprises. It particularly focuses on providing livelihood support to unemployed youth, women, traditional artisans, and individuals from marginalized communities.
Under the scheme, applicants can access bank-financed loans of up to ₹50 lakhs for manufacturing units and up to ₹25 lakhs for service, trading, and business units. A substantial government subsidy is provided along with the loan. To be eligible, applicants must be at least 18 years old. For projects above ₹10 lakhs in manufacturing or ₹5 lakhs in services and trading, a minimum educational qualification of 8th standard pass is required.
The scheme also defines contribution and subsidy levels depending on the applicant’s category and location. General category applicants are required to contribute ten percent of the project cost. They are eligible for a subsidy of fifteen percent in urban areas and twenty-five percent in rural areas. Applicants belonging to special categories such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, women, minorities, ex-servicemen and persons with disabilities are required to contribute five percent of the project cost. They are eligible for a subsidy of twenty-five percent in urban areas and thirty-five percent in rural areas.
Beneficiaries whose loans are sanctioned are required to undergo Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) training. The duration of the training is at least five days for projects costing up to ₹5 lakhs and at least ten days for projects above ₹5 lakhs. However, projects costing up to ₹2 lakhs are exempt from the training requirement.
Officials have urged youth, women and individuals from marginalized communities to make use of this opportunity and apply for assistance under the scheme. Interested applicants may visit the District Industries Centre or the Khadi and Village Industries Board at Middle Point, Sri Vijaya Puram, with necessary documents such as Aadhaar card, PAN card, local or rural certificate, caste or special category certificate, passport-sized photographs, Aadhaar-linked mobile number and email ID. Applications can also be submitted online at www.kviconline.gov.in.
The District Industries Centre and the Khadi and Village Industries Board provide support throughout the application process, from preparing project reports and filing online applications to coordinating with banks for loan sanction and subsidy disbursement. For further details, applicants may contact the DIC or KVIB over phone at 232601 or 233301, a press release from the District Industries Centre said.
