Centre’s nodal agency to help entrepreneurs, start-up and MSMEs opens Southern regional office in Bengaluru
Aditi Sharma
The National Industries Research and Development Council (NIRDC) has opened its Southern regional office in Bengaluru on Saturday to help entrepreneurs, start-ups, and MSMEs maximise benefits from various central government schemes.
The NIRDC is charged with the responsibility to educate and empower Indian citizens, especially aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, and women entrepreneurs, and keep them abreast with all the government schemes and programmes of the state and central governments. It helps the entrepreneurs with guidance on funding and also takes them through the various stages of government processes.
Mr.Vempalli Amanulla, Chairman of the South Region, emphasized the need for creating more awareness of the government schemes, said “There are many schemes from MSME and different ministries, but common people are unaware of them. We first want to create awareness among those who want to be entrepreneurs, already have small businesses, or are part of women-led enterprises.”
He highlighted that awareness is the first step towards industrial growth and employment generation, which in turn will contribute significantly to reducing unemployment in the country.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by, among others, the Chairman of NIRDC, Mr Shambu Singh-IAS, Regional Chairman, Vempalli Amanulla, Rajashree: Director at ICL Fin Corp, and renowned film actress, Ms Kausalya. Different key stakeholders, including Directors, Deputy Directors of the South Region, Trade Commissioners, Facilitation Managers, and Council Committee Members were also present.
In a move to integrate technology into its outreach model, Mr. Naveen Kumar, Department of Administration – Training & Development, announced the upcoming launch of InDApp, a mobile application designed to: Connect business owners across India and globally, eliminate middlemen, and facilitate transparent communication and collaboration in the business ecosystem.
He also underscored the importance of educating banking institutions, stating, “If banks are not aware of the schemes, how can they support the people? Banks play a major role in loan approvals and supporting small business owners.”
With its headquarters in Delhi, NIRDC is rapidly expanding, having established new offices this year in Kochi, Lucknow, Patna, and now Bengaluru, which received its formal approval in April 2025.
In addition to domestic outreach, NIRDC has established partnerships with 30+ countries globally, enabling: Import-export support, market access for small businesses, and knowledge and resource exchange for industrial growth.
These efforts aim to provide small and medium enterprises with the opportunity to enter the global market, thus making even grassroots entrepreneurs globally competitive.
To streamline the process further, facilitation centers are being planned and set up across regions. These centers will offer personalized guidance, documentation assistance, and step-by-step support through the scheme application and business setup journey.
NIRDC also supports entrepreneurs from scratch, ensuring they receive not only financial backing but also mentorship and structural guidance to become financially independent.
