Boneej Scheme

Boneej Scheme is a government scheme launched by the Assam government to help rural industries grow. The scheme provides a financial grant of ₹25,000 to existing micro and traditional industrial units located in the rural areas of Assam. It was announced by the Finance Minister during the budget speech on 26th July, 2016 and continues to support small rural businesses in the state.

Under this scheme, rural industrial units with an annual turnover below ₹5 lakh can use the grant to buy machinery or raw materials. The main aim is to encourage entrepreneurship and create work for local youth in rural pockets of Assam. Applications are handled by the District Industries and Commerce Centres (DICC) in the district where the unit is located.

Boneej Scheme - Overview

Boneej Scheme is a special government program made to help rural industries in Assam. The name refers to seed support given to small units so they can keep running and grow steadily. It covers traditional and micro sector industries that find it hard to modernize their setup on their own.

The scheme gives a fixed grant to each eligible unit, which is meant for buying machines or raw material. The money is not a loan, so it does not have to be paid back. This makes it a useful support for small rural businesses that want to raise their production without taking on more debt.

Objective

The main aim of Boneej Scheme is to encourage small rural businesses and give work to local people. By providing a direct grant, the scheme helps both new and existing entrepreneurs steady their business and raise their output. The focus stays on rural areas so that industry growth reaches beyond the big towns of Assam.

Area of Implementation

Boneej Scheme covers rural areas across all districts of Assam, except the regions that come under the Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council, the NC Hills Autonomous District Council and the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts. This keeps the benefit limited to the areas where the scheme is made for.

District Target

The Commissionerate of Industries and Commerce, Assam fixes a district-wise target for the scheme based on the rural population of each district. These targets are then passed on to the concerned DICC, which selects the beneficiaries from its area.

Key Information

Benefits

A selected unit gets a grant of ₹25,000 from the Assam government. This support is meant for industries in rural areas that have an annual turnover of less than ₹5 lakh. The grant can be used to buy required machinery or raw material so that the business can raise its output.

Because the grant goes directly to the unit, it helps small businesses avoid extra borrowing. The scheme is simple to understand and does not put any bar on educational qualification. This makes it easier for rural artisans and small makers to apply.

Eligibility

To get support under Boneej Scheme, the business unit has to meet the following conditions:

• The industry must be located in a rural area of Assam, outside the three autonomous council regions.
• The unit must already exist and should have been operating without a break for at least the last two years.
• The applicant should have a separate workshed of their own where production and processing take place.
• The age of the applicant should not be below 18 years or above 50 years.

Apart from the above, the unit must have already taken a term loan or working capital loan of at least ₹1 lakh. There is no minimum educational qualification needed to apply.

Documents Needed

Keep the following documents ready before applying:

• One passport size photograph.
• Copy of the industry registration certificate.
• Caste certificate, if applicable.
• Proof of identity such as voter ID, Aadhaar, PAN card or driving licence.
• Proof of address.
• Training certificate, if any relevant skill course was completed.
• Copy of the first page of the bank passbook.

Application Process

Application under Boneej Scheme is done offline through the local district office. There is no fee for submitting the form. The steps to apply are given below.

STEP 1 - Visit the nearest District Industries and Commerce Centre (DICC) of your district, or download the application official scheme guidelines PDF from the official website to get the form details.

STEP 2 - Fill in the application form with the required details such as the name and address of the applicant, name of the rural industry, bank account number, IFSC code and annual turnover.

STEP 3 - Attach all the required documents, including the bank passbook copy, industry registration and identity and address proof.

STEP 4 - Submit the completed form and documents to the General Manager of the local DICC in your district.

STEP 5 - The DICC will check the application and may carry out a physical verification of the unit.

STEP 6 - After the checking is done, the proposal goes to the District Level Committee for approval. Once approved, the grant amount is released to the beneficiary through the bank.

References

Official Boneej Scheme Guidelines PDF

FAQ's

What is Boneej Scheme?

Boneej Scheme is a government initiative for rural industries in Assam that provides a financial grant to help small units upgrade their machinery and operations.

Who is eligible for Boneej Scheme?

Any existing industrial unit located in a rural area of Assam that has been operating for at least two years and has taken a loan of at least ₹1 lakh is eligible to apply.

How much financial support is given?

The scheme provides a grant of ₹25,000 to businesses with an annual turnover of less than ₹5 lakh.

Are there any age rules?

Yes, the applicant must be between 18 and 50 years of age at the time of applying.

Is educational qualification needed?

No, there is no minimum educational qualification required to apply for this scheme.

Can a business outside Assam apply?

No, the scheme is only for industries operating in the rural areas of Assam.