• Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Shri Narayan Rane launched the MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification Scheme.

• ZED has the potential to become a national movement.
• Aims- to provide a roadmap to global competitiveness for the MSMEs of India.
• ZED will not only attempt to improve productivity & performance, it has the capability to change the mind-set of manufacturers and make them more environment conscious.
• This Scheme is an extensive drive to enable and facilitate MSMEs adopt Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) practices and motivate and incentivize them for ZED Certification while also encouraging them to become MSME Champions.
• Through the journey of ZED Certification, MSMEs can reduce wastages substantially, increase productivity, enhance environmental consciousness, save energy, optimally use natural resources, expand their markets, etc.

Under the Scheme, MSMEs will get subsidy as per the following structure, on the cost of ZED certification:

• Micro Enterprises: 80%
• Small Enterprises: 60%
• Medium Enterprises: 50%
• There will be an additional subsidy of 10% for the MSMEs owned by Women/SC/ST Entrepreneurs OR MSMEs in NER/Himalayan/LWE/Island territories/aspirational districts.
• In addition to above, there will be an additional subsidy of 5% for MSMEs which are also a part of the SFURTI OR Micro & Small Enterprises - Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP) of the Ministry. 
• The MSMEs can also avail a number of other incentives offered for ZED Certification by States & UTs, Financial Institutions etc. and can also apply for free Certification under the MSME KAWACH (COVID-19 Support) initiative.