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Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
Context:
The GeM portal achieved a milestone, with procurement of goods and services crossing Rs 1.24 lakh crore in the first quarter of the 2024-25 fiscal year.
Government e-Marketplace (GeM):
- Establishment: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry launched the GeM portal in 2016.
- Aim: To create a dedicated e-market for goods and services procured by Government Organizations, Departments, and PSUs.
Purpose and Goals:
- Facilitates online procurement of commonly used goods and services by various Government Departments, Organizations, and PSUs.
- Enhance transparency, efficiency, and speed in public procurement.
- Provides tools like e-bidding, reverse e-auction, and demand aggregation to help users achieve the best value for their money.
- It is a contactless, paperless, and cashless platform.
- Authentication of users is done via Application Programming Interface (API) integration with respective domain databases, i.e., Aadhaar, PAN, etc.
- The Ministry of Finance authorised and made purchases through GeM mandatory by adding Rule No. 149 in the General Financial Rules, 2017.
- It transitioned from Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D) to a digital e-commerce portal in a record time of five months.
- It is effectively contributing to the government’s commitment of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”.
- GeM-Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), a Section 8 (Non-Profit) Private Limited Company under Ministry of Commerce was incorporated under Companies Act, 2013 to develop, manage, and maintain the GeM platform.
GeM’s Achievement:
- GeM closed the financial year 2023-24 with a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of ₹4 lakh crore.
- States like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi surpassed their designated public procurement targets, contributing significantly to the GMV growth
- Initiatives like ‘Vocal for Local’, ‘One District, One Product’, and ‘Womaniya’ provided a level-playing field for domestic businesses.
- Nearly 50% of the GMV awarded to marginalised seller segments.
