Lucknow: The UP govt has achieved another significant milestone in the public procurement system by registering procurement worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore on Govt e-Marketplace (GeM) since its inception in 2017.Uttar Pradesh accounts for more than 30% of the total procurement made by all states in the country through GeM. A state govt spokesperson said that the achievement reflected the effectiveness of the state govt policies aimed at promoting digital governance, transparency, efficiency and inclusive public procurement in the state.The achievement of UP has also received recognition at the national level. At the 10th Foundation Day celebration of GeM held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Aug 10, Union minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal honoured UP with three prestigious national awards for its outstanding contribution in the field of public procurement.The awards received by UP include GeM Overall Excellence Award, Highest GeM Procurement Value and Best Outreach Building Award.This achievement of UP is not limited to govt procurement figures alone. It is also being viewed as a significant success of the Yogi govt’s good governance and digital governance model. The extensive use of GeM has helped make the procurement processes of govt departments more transparent, competitive, simple and accountable.“The increasing use of digital platforms in govt procurement has brought significant changes by reducing the complexities associated with traditional processes, providing more vendors with opportunities to compete and enabling govt institutions to obtain quality products and services at better prices,” a state govt spokesperson said.Through GeM, UP has expanded opportunities in govt procurement for MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, enterprises operated by the SC/ST community and startups, instead of limiting such opportunities to large businesses alone.This system has provided small enterprises with a digital platform to access govt buyers across the country. As a result, the scope of the govt marketplace has expanded for local entrepreneurs in the state, giving them opportunities to offer their products and services beyond the state as well.
