A two-day National
Consultative Workshop, organized byGovernment eMarketPlace (GeM)SPV and
DGS&D under Ministry of Commerce in association with National eGovernance
Division under the Ministry of electronics & IT, for the buyers and
sellers on Government e-Marketplace (GeM), commenced today .
Inaugurating the
workshop the Commerce and Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said,
“It is a great day towards achieving transparency in public procurement. As we
sign as many as six MoU today, I thank the respective state representatives
coming forward and embracing GeM as the platform for government procurement in
their states. I must also mention that this has been possible thanks to the
continuous and full spirited guidance and support from the Hon’ble Prime
Minister Shri NarendraModi, and his conviction in bringing in transparency in
public procurement.”
“I am glad that
GeM is being recognized as the national e-procurement portal. Following the
processes under GeM platform, around 20-30% reduction of price has been
achieved as compared to what it was prior to GeM. Therefore, there is
substantial tangible evidence that the processes followed at the portal is
indeed bringing cost down. Most importantly, the sellers do not have to run
around from pillar to post to get their payment, which will be made within 10
days of the delivery of the products and services.” Added Smt.
Sitharaman
Representing
the state of Andhra Pradesh, Shri NakkaAnandaBabu, Minister of Social
Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh said, “Government eMarketplace is
a great initiative by the government of India to bring in greater transparency
in the public procurement. I am glad to be representing the Government of
Andhra Pradhesh, that believes in transparency and efficiency in the
administration. By signing this MoU, we embark on a new and transparent era of
public procurement.”
Representing
Puducherry, Shri Manoj Kumar Parida, Chief Secretary, Puducherrysaid, “I
congratulate the ministry of commerce and the entire team for transforming the
lives of millions. It does not only affect the traders and suppliers, but also
brings in a major change the activities the officials too. GeM is a wonderful
concept wherein everything is transparent. We are clear about the goods we want;
they are clear about the price at which they sell. It is a wonderful beginning
which is worth welcoming.”
Shri
Binoy Kumar Director General, DGS&D said, “When GeM was formed eleven
months ago, it had only one product as a desktop computer and one service, that
is a taxi service. Today, we have grown to an extent that we have more than
5000 government departments users, around 16000 sellers and service providers and
more than 50,000 products. GeM has reached to this stage of development because
there has been a transparent efficient and accountable system behind. Most of
the states are now fully convinced about the utility of this platform, which
not only provides transparency, but also offers a substantial savings to them.
I am sure the states will be able to make best use of this portal and their
activities will be channels towards more productive means and initiatives.”
Commenting
on the initiative, Smt. S. Radha Chauhan, CEO, GeM& CEO,NeGDsaid,
“The Government eMarketplaceis a national procurement portal, which realizes
the Digital India vision of contactless, cashless and paperless mode of
governance. It should not only be seen as a procurement portal for the
government buyers, but also as a tool for empowerment and entrepreneurship
across the country at all levels, including the small and the micro units.”
Over
300 Senior level officers handling procurement activities
in the state departments such as finance, Treasuries, IT & e-Governance,
General Admin, Industry & Commerce, Women & Child Development (WCD),
food, Board of Revenue and other departments that have major procurement
activities along with more than 250 major vendors on GeM are expected to attend
the workshop.
As
Digital India aims to bring in maximum transparency by minimizing Government’s
human transactional interface, the objective of this workshop is to increase
the adoption of GeM by the states by introducing the participants to GeM
Procurement Workflow, demonstrate its usability and sensitize to them to the
need for onboarding with suggested amendment to relevant Rules and Regulations
for procurement and to clarify any doubts that the states/ government buyers
and sellers might have for smooth implementation of GeM.
MJPS
