The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) was launched on August 9, 2016 with an aim to transform the way in which procurement of goods and services is done by the government ministries, departments, PSUs, autonomous bodies, etc., and according to official figures, since inception, the cumulative Gross Merchandize Value reached Rs.1 Lakh crore over 4 and half years, on 23rd March 2021, whereas the GMV of GeM in the current financial year surpassed Rs.1 lakh crore in less than a year.

These figures are encouraging. In a short span of 5 years, GeM has become one of the biggest government e-procurement platforms in the world, and by taking a host of steps to onboard products of Self-Help Groups, tribal communities, craftsmen, weavers and MSMEs, this platform has successfully transformed public procurement in India by driving its three pillars viz. inclusion, usability and transparency and efficiency and cost saving. Of the total business on GeM, 6% has been contributed by female entrepreneurs.

It is also noteworthy that 57% of the total business on GeM has come through the MSME units. This platform has turned beneficial also for our artisans and weavers with 28,374 artisans and 1,49,422 weavers registered on the portal till 30th August, 2021. It is worth mentioning that an ongoing drive aims to provide direct market access opportunities to approx. 35.22 lakh handloom workers and 27 lakh handicraft artisans of the country.

According to a World Bank survey, average savings for buyers in the Government e-Marketplace portal is about 9.75% on the median price. Similarly, an analysis in the Economic Survey 2021-22 showed that in comparison with popular online platforms, prices of various commodities on GeM were 9.5% lower. 10 out of 22 commodities in the sample were cheaper on the portal as compared to other platforms. No doubt, this level of achievement is commendable, but it is equally true that there is a lot more potential to be tapped. The Government should continue its efforts in this direction.

I invite your opinions.