New Delhi: Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal, along with Minister of State of Commerce and Industry, Som Parkash, inaugurated the 3rd edition of the National Public Procurement Conclave in New Delhi today. The two-day conclave has been organized by Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
GeM epitomizes the speed, skill and scale which is essential in an e-marketplace platform, said Piyush Goyal in his inaugural address, adding that GeM rests on the three pillars of openness, fairness and inclusiveness and is a symbol of a truly transparent e-marketplace.
Goyal expressed hope that during this conclave a road map for the future of GeM will be put in place that will unify all Government procurement, across all Ministries and Departments, of not only Government of India but State Governments and local bodies as well.
He also expressed hope that during the two-day deliberations an actionable agenda will emerge that will facilitate work contracts in the form of tenders to be made available on the GeM portal in future.
Goyal urged that, in order to take the GeM portal to the next level, it may be examined how to facilitate purchase from the GeM platform by contractors and sub-contractors of public sector undertakings, Ministries and Departments.
The Minister expressed hope that the target of Rs 5 lakh crore business through the GeM platform is achieved earlier than five years, and said that in the future GeM will also be open for all citizens of India to procure their necessities so that the common man may benefit from lower cost of products and services that are available on GeM.
Goyal cautioned, however, that quality of products and services must never be compromised, and stringent mechanisms be put in place for validation of complaints against poor quality of products and services that may be available on the platform.
Goyal welcomed all suggestions, from thousands of registered organizations for the Conclave, to make improvements in the GeM platform, and particularly in the process of accessing, onboarding and navigating through the platform, so that it leads to more transparency and availability of better quality of products and services.
This will enable MSMEs, women entrepreneurs and the smallest of enterprises in the remotest corners of India to onboard products and services on GeM and will also create a level playing field that promotes fair business practices and genuine competition among buyers.
62 stalls ranging from IT, electronics, road safety equipment, security, furniture items, sports goods, health care, telecom, GIS solutions, home appliances, and freight services have been put up for participants and visitors to see during the event.
Talleen Kumar, CEO GeM, and other senior officials of GeM and the Department of Commerce were present on the occasion. GeM awards were also given away during the inaugural session.
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