Government e-Marketplace rewrites rules of public procurement: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said that from a gross merchandise value (GMV) of Rs 422 crore a decade ago to over Rs 1,55,000 crore today, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has rewritten the rules of public procurement.

In a post on X, the minister informed that over 12.28 lakh Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), including more than 2.25 lakh led by women, and over 42,000 startups are registered on the portal, proving that grassroots empowerment is not merely a slogan for the Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but a genuine commitment.

“Over the last 10 years, the platform has enhanced competition, improved price discovery, reduced procurement cycle times, generated significant savings for the Government, and strengthened accountability through end-to-end digital procurement,” said Goyal.

He further stated that this has made government markets more accessible to MSEs, startups, women entrepreneurs, Self-Help Groups, artisans, and weavers, while championing the vision of Vocal for Local and Make in India.

“The GeM is emerging as a key driver of self-reliance that is also strengthening the foundation of a Viksit Bharat,” the minister mentioned.

The GeM, into its 11th year, connects more than 1.37 lakh government buyer organisations with nearly 25 lakh sellers and service providers.

The focus is shifting towards a smarter and more integrated public procurement ecosystem with GeM, which was launched on August 9, 2016.

Artificial intelligence and wider participation will further strengthen transparency, efficiency and governance. By connecting government demand with local enterprises, GeM advances ‘Vocal for Local’, ‘Make in India’ and inclusive economic growth. GeM continues supporting India’s journey towards a digitally empowered and self-reliant economy, according to an official factsheet.

Beyond facilitating transactions, GeM has become an important pillar of India’s Digital Procurement Ecosystem. It provides a comprehensive digital marketplace with over 10,660 product categories and 350 service categories, meeting diverse government procurement needs.

—IANS

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