Small scale industries (SSI) are those industries in which manufacturing, providing services, productions are done on a small scale or micro scale. For example, these are the ideas of Small-scale industries: Napkins, tissues, chocolates, toothpick, water bottles, small toys, papers, pens. Small scale industries play an important role in the social and economic development of India. These industries do a one-time investment in machinery, plants, and industries which could be on an ownership basis, hire purchase, or lease basis. But it does not exceed Rs. 1 Crore.
Small scale industries provide employment opportunities to numerous people, they account for people in rural areas especially women entrepreneurs. It employs artisans, technical professionals, and unskilled manpower. SSI promotes decentralized development of industries as most of the small-scale industries are set up in backward and rural areas. It removes regional disparities by industrializing rural and backward areas and brings balanced regional development. It helps to reduce the problems of congestion, slums, sanitation, and pollution in cities by providing employment and income to people living in rural areas. It plays an important role by initiating the government to build infrastructural facilities in rural areas. It helps to mobilize and utilize local resources like small savings, entrepreneurial talent, etc., of the entrepreneurs, which might otherwise remain idle and unutilized. Thus, it helps in the effective utilization of resources. SSI plays a complementary role in the large-scale sector and supports large-scale industries. SSI provides parts, components, accessories to large scale industries and meets the requirements of large-scale industries through setting up units near the large-scale units. SSI produces a wide range of products required by consumers in India. SSI helps in the development of society by reducing the concentration of income and wealth in a few hands.
About 60 to 70 percent of India’s innovation happens with Small Scale Industries. With innovation and entrepreneurship, engineers have a key role to play in small scale industries. Every entrepreneurial venture aims at solving a prevalent problem in society and engineers are the perfect creative problem solvers. Engineers, with their skills and innovative approach, can be the right founders for small scale industries. As a support system, engineers help build the infrastructure needed, the transport links needed for proper logistics of Small-Scale Industry products. Good transport links make it easier for businesses to trade their goods and enable the workforce to be more mobile. High-speed internet can boost productivity, improve efficiencies, and help an organization to look beyond its local or national borders. Every big Industry today had started as a Small-scale industry one day. Engineer minds and solutions help Small scale Industry bridge the gap between small scale and big scale industries.