Karnataka DIC / MSME Incentive Scheme

Karnataka DIC — MSME Scheme 2025–30

Scheme PolicyDetails
StateKarnataka
PolicyKarnataka Industrial Policy 2025–30
Implementing DepartmentDepartment of Industries & Commerce, Government of Karnataka
District AgencyDistrict Industries Centre (DIC)
DIC CommitteeDistrict Level Committee (DLC)
Current operative guidelinesApproved 10-Apr-2026
Policy effective from08-Feb-2025
Policy period5 years / until new policy
Main beneficiariesMicro, Small & Medium Enterprises
Special categoriesSC/ST, Women, Minorities, PwD and Ex-Servicemen
Application routeInvest Karnataka / online or prescribed DIC process
Major benefitsCapital subsidy, electricity-tax exemption, power subsidy, stamp-duty benefit, land-conversion reimbursement, sustainability incentives, quality/export support

1. Eligibility

The Karnataka Industrial Policy 2025–30 defines MSMEs for incentive purposes as follows:

EnterpriseInvestment in Plant & Machinery / Equipment
MicroLess than ₹1 crore
Small₹1 crore to ₹10 crore
Medium₹10 crore to ₹50 crore

These are the policy-specific investment definitions for calculating Karnataka incentives, irrespective of later changes in Government of India MSME classification.

The policy covers:

  • New industrial enterprises
  • Expansion
  • Diversification
  • Modernisation
  • Eligible manufacturing enterprises
  • Specified eligible service enterprises.

2. Applicable Industries

The Karnataka DIC incentive framework primarily covers:

Manufacturing

  • Engineering
  • Food processing
  • Textiles
  • Garments
  • Chemicals
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Plastics
  • Electronics
  • Electrical equipment
  • Auto components
  • Machinery
  • Packaging
  • Other eligible manufacturing activities.

Eligible services

Specified industrial-support services can also qualify.

The official incentive calculator specifically lists eligible services such as:

  • Industrial testing laboratories
  • General engineering/fabrication
  • Industrial painting/job work
  • Powder coating
  • Electroplating
  • Common Effluent Treatment Plants
  • Hazardous-waste management
  • Industrial logistics
  • Dry ports/ICDs/CFS/AFS
  • Industrial warehousing
  • Certain cold-storage facilities.

There is also a specific negative list. Examples include breweries/distilleries (with specified exceptions), tobacco products, firecracker manufacturing, ozone-depleting-substance industries and certain other activities.

3. Capital Subsidy — Micro Enterprises

General category

ZoneSubsidyMaximum
Zone 130% of VFA₹30 lakh
Zone 225% of VFA₹25 lakh
Zone 310% of VFA₹10 lakh

VFA = Value of Fixed Assets.

Special category

Special category means:

  • SC/ST
  • Women
  • Minorities
  • Physically Challenged
  • Ex-Servicemen
ZoneSubsidyMaximum
Zone 135% of VFA₹35 lakh
Zone 230% of VFA₹30 lakh
Zone 315% of VFA₹15 lakh

The guidelines identify Zone 3 as only Bengaluru Rural District for this MSME table.

4. Capital Subsidy — Small Enterprises

General category

ZoneSubsidyMaximum
Zone 125% of VFA₹2 crore
Zone 220% of VFA₹1.50 crore
Zone 310% of VFA₹50 lakh

Special category

ZoneSubsidyMaximum
Zone 130% of VFA₹2.25 crore
Zone 225% of VFA₹1.75 crore
Zone 315% of VFA₹75 lakh

The subsidy is disbursed in two instalments.

5. Medium Enterprise — Capital Subsidy

Medium enterprises have a choice between:

  • Capital Subsidy, or
  • Production Linked Incentive (PLI).

The choice must be notified to the Government when filing the subsidy claim and remains applicable to the approved investment.

Capital subsidy

ZoneSubsidyMaximum
Zone 125% of VFA₹10 crore
Zone 220% of VFA₹8 crore
Zone 310% of VFA₹4 crore

Capital subsidy is released in 4 equal annual instalments after commercial production.

6. Medium Enterprise — Production Linked Incentive

Medium enterprises can alternatively select PLI.

ZonePLI on Net Sales TurnoverMaximum VFA-linked limit
Zone 12.5%60% of VFA
Zone 22.0%60% of VFA
Zone 31.0%30% of VFA

Period

Up to 7 years from commencement of commercial production.

The cumulative PLI is restricted by the applicable period/VFA limit, whichever is reached earlier, and there is no carry-forward.

7. Additional Backward-Taluk Subsidy

Karnataka provides additional incentives for taluks classified as Most Backward and More Backward under the Dr. D.M. Nanjundappa Committee classification.

Micro

  • Most backward: additional 5%, maximum ₹5 lakh
  • More backward: additional 3%, maximum ₹3 lakh

Small

  • Most backward: additional 5%, maximum ₹10 lakh
  • More backward: additional 3%, maximum ₹5 lakh

Medium

  • Most backward: additional 5%, maximum ₹50 lakh
  • More backward: additional 3%, maximum ₹25 lakh

For Medium enterprises using PLI, additional 5% / 3% of the applicable PLI, subject to the prescribed cap, is available.

8. Stamp Duty & Registration Charges

For eligible MSMEs:

General

100% stamp-duty exemption/reimbursement

in:

  • Zone 1
  • Zone 2

Zone 3: Nil for general MSMEs.

Special category

ZoneStamp Duty
Zone 1100%
Zone 2100%
Zone 375%

Special category includes SC/ST, Women, Minorities, PwD and Ex-Servicemen.

Registration charge

Concessional registration charge:

₹1 per ₹1,000

for eligible transactions.

The benefit applies to eligible industrial land, sheds and specified industrial property transactions and also certain loan documents.

Important current-status note: the 2025–30 guidelines say that the 100% stamp-duty benefit is to be implemented through the required amendment/notification; until then, eligible enterprises may continue to use the applicable 2020–25 stamp-duty mechanism.

9. Land Conversion Fee Reimbursement

After commercial production:

CategoryZone 1Zone 2Zone 3
General MSME100%100%Nil
Special category100%100%75%

The reimbursement is released after implementation of the project and commencement of commercial production, subject to sanction and availability of funds.

10. Electricity Tax Exemption

For MSMEs:

EntrepreneurZone 1Zone 2Zone 3
General100% for 7 years100% for 6 yearsNil
Special100% for 8 years100% for 7 years100% for 4 years

Special category includes:

  • SC/ST
  • Women
  • Minorities
  • Physically Challenged
  • Ex-Servicemen.

Current implementation caveat: the guidelines state that the electricity-tax exemption cannot be certified under the 2025–30 policy until the Energy Department issues the required concurrence notification.

11. Power Subsidy — Micro & Small

Eligible Micro and Small Enterprises receive:

ZonePower Subsidy
Zone 1₹1/unit for 3 years
Zone 2₹1/unit for 3 years
Zone 3Nil

The claim is to be submitted once every six months, during June and December.

12. Sustainability / Green Incentives

Karnataka 2025–30 introduces sustainability-linked incentives.

Examples include:

Environmental infrastructure

  • ETP
  • CETP
  • Waste-management projects
  • Hazardous-waste facilities

50% of equipment cost, maximum ₹50 lakh.

Zero Liquid Discharge

50% of equipment cost, maximum ₹50 lakh.

Air-pollution control

For equipment such as:

  • ESP
  • Baghouse filters
  • Scrubbers
  • SCR systems

50% of equipment cost, maximum ₹50 lakh.

Energy-efficiency measures

50% of certification costs, maximum ₹50 lakh under the specified category.

Electrification

For low-temperature thermal processes and energy backup conversion to Li-ion BESS:

50% of equipment cost, maximum ₹50 lakh.

Conversion of vehicles to EV

10% of cost, maximum ₹10 lakh.

The combined sustainability-linked incentives are capped at 10% of VFA for the listed MSME incentives.

13. Mandatory Sustainability Conditions

For Small and above investments:

Rainwater harvesting

Mandatory for building structures.

For Medium and above, water-body restoration is also prescribed wherever possible within the industrial plot/area.

14. Investment Limits

For Karnataka policy incentive purposes:

CategoryInvestment
Micro< ₹1 crore
Small₹1 crore–₹10 crore
Medium₹10 crore–₹50 crore
LargeAbove Medium up to ₹300 crore
Mega>₹300 crore to ₹1,000 crore
Ultra Mega>₹1,000 crore

The policy-specific definitions are important when calculating incentives.

15. Conditions

Key conditions include:

  • The enterprise must be an eligible manufacturing enterprise or specified eligible service enterprise.
  • The project must make the qualifying investment during the policy period.
  • Expansion/modernisation/diversification requires additional new capital investment of at least 25% of existing fixed assets.
  • Eligible MSMEs should commence commercial production within 3 years of DLSWCC/SLSWCC approval, subject to the prescribed alternative where approval has not been obtained.
  • Investment promotion subsidy must generally be claimed within 12 months of commencement of commercial production.
  • Commercial production is evidenced by the first sale invoice after trial production.
  • Subsidies already received from other Karnataka/central schemes against the same fixed assets may reduce the Karnataka subsidy to the applicable differential amount.
  • The enterprise cannot generally split incentives between different Karnataka state policies unless specifically permitted.

16. KS DIC — Database-ready summary

Your Required PointKarnataka DIC
Scheme PolicyKarnataka Industrial Policy 2025–30
EligibilityMicro, Small, Medium + eligible manufacturing/specified services
Applicable IndustriesManufacturing + specified industrial services
Subsidy/IncentiveCapital subsidy, PLI, power subsidy, electricity-tax exemption, stamp duty, land conversion, green incentives
Investment LimitsMicro <₹1Cr; Small ₹1–10Cr; Medium ₹10–50Cr
Financial BenefitsCapital subsidy up to ₹10Cr for Medium; up to ₹2.25Cr for Small; up to ₹35L for Micro
Special CategorySC/ST, Women, Minorities, PwD, Ex-Servicemen
Backward Area BenefitAdditional 3%/5% subject to caps
Power Subsidy₹1/unit for 3 years, Zone 1 & 2, Micro/Small
Electricity TaxUp to 100% exemption depending on zone/category
Land ConversionUp to 100% reimbursement
Stamp DutyUp to 100%
ApplicationOnline/portal → DIC → DLC
Claim deadlineGenerally within 12 months of commercial production for MSME subsidy
Commercial production deadlineGenerally within 3 years of approval
Required DocumentsCAF, incorporation/partnership, Udyam, land, investment, bank/CA certificates, first invoice, approvals, etc.
Validity08-Feb-2025 for 5 years / until new policy
Nodal AgencyDistrict Industries Centre
Sanctioning AuthorityDistrict Level Committee
Official PortalInvest Karnataka / Karnataka Single Window System

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