1 Lakh MSMEs Certified Under ZED Scheme For Green Manufacturing

New Delhi, Jan 12 (KNN) The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Ministry's Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) Scheme, promoting eco-friendly manufacturing in MSMEs, has hit the 1 lakh certification mark, the ministry reported on Thursday.

At present, 1,02,642 MSMEs are certified, with 1,01,962 at the bronze level, 339 with silver, and 341 holding gold certification.

“From 423 certifications in close to more than three years in the previous ZED to crossing a lakh in 19 months, ZED has come a long way. We also surpassed our internal target of 50,000 certifications before 26th January,” the ministry stated in a post on X.

Introduced in October 2016 and overhauled in April 2022, the ZED scheme provides certification for environmentally responsible manufacturing across three levels – gold, silver, and bronze.

These levels are determined by evaluating performance against 20 parameters, including quality management, timely delivery, process control, waste management and more.

Under the scheme, financial aid is available for certification, covering up to 75 per cent of the total certification cost, with a maximum subsidy limit of Rs 50,000.

Additionally, handholding or consultancy support is provided, with a maximum of Rs 2 lakh to achieve the next certification level.

The scheme also provides support of up to Rs 3 lakhs for technology upgrades, focusing on zero-effect solutions, pollution control measures, or cleaner technology.

MSMEs incur a fee of Rs 10,000 for bronze certification, Rs 40,000 for silver certification, and Rs 90,000 for gold certification under the ZED scheme.

The MSME Ministry has waived fees for women-led MSMEs under the ZED scheme, as of December 2023. Furthermore, the government will now guarantee 100 per cent financial support for the certification cost under the scheme.

The ZED certification holds a validity of three years and MSME units must reapply within this timeframe. Presently, the scheme is exclusively applicable to manufacturing MSMEs, with no announced model for services MSMEs from the government.

Aligned with the government's environmental goals, the ZED scheme contributes to reducing India's CO2 emissions by 1 billion tons by 2030, lowering carbon intensity below 45 per cent by 2030, and ultimately working towards achieving a Net-Zero emission target by 2070.

(KNN Bureau)