Zero Defect, Zero Effect scheme: How Gilard Electronics is one of MSMEs with ‘diamond certification’

Gilard Electronics – MSME Success Stories: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Zero Defect, Zero Effect (ZED) scheme aimed to certify 22,222 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for their high-quality manufacturing processes and products. 
 
Now, how the government arrived at the unique 22,222 figure is unknown, but according to information shared by MoS MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on March 24, 2022, only 329 MSMEs were certified across bronze, silver, gold, and diamond certifications under the scheme. 
 
Only four firms received the diamond accreditation, including Gilard Electronics of Mohali (Punjab), which manufactures automobile switches (which regulate the complete electrical equipment fitted in a car). 
 
The company, which was founded in 1961, received the highest certification in January 2019. Gilard, which is currently run by second-generation entrepreneur Sanjiv Singh, was the first diamond-certified MSME in Punjab and India’s automotive sector, as well as second overall in the country’s MSME sector, according to Singh.

Gilard Electronics

Singh joined the family business after finishing high school in 1979 to help support his father while pursuing his education. Over the years, he has grown the company to over 100 customers in the automotive, electronics, defence, and white goods industries, including Mahindra & Mahindra, Honda, and others, with a revenue of Rs 40 crore. 
 
“I found it interesting when I read about it and the various parameters because we already had the processes in place that were required for certification.” “The list of parameters demonstrated the government’s maturity level in auditing corporations,” Singh explained. 
 
ISO 14001:2015 is another certification that provides the requirements for an efficient environmental management system. According to the standard, it enables businesses to enhance their environmental performance by making better use of resources, obtain a competitive edge, and win stakeholders’ trust. 
 
“These chemicals are not used in our production process.” We have a captive effluent treatment plant for treating our wastewater (ETP). “Recycled water is primarily used to water plants in our facility,” Singh explained.