Now Reading: Military Affairs GeM orders cross Rs 1.35 lakh crore
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Military Affairs GeM orders cross Rs 1.35 lakh crore
Orders placed by the Department of Military Affairs on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) have crossed Rs 1.35 lakh crore, accounting for nearly 15 per cent of all GeM procurement, Commerce Minister Piyush…
The Story in Brief
Orders placed by the Department of Military Affairs on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) have crossed Rs 1.35 lakh crore, accounting for nearly 15 per cent of all GeM procurement, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. Speaking at an event marking GeM's 10th anniversary, Goyal added that total purchases through the portal have exceeded Rs 20 lakh crore over the past decade, with annual procurement crossing Rs 5 lakh crore.
An IIT Delhi study cited by the minister found that GeM saved an estimated Rs 86,571 crore in taxpayer money over three years. The study compared 101 items with other e-marketplaces and found GeM offered lower prices for 74.3 per cent of items, with a spend-weighted saving of 13.6 per cent. Goyal also noted that GeM is being revamped by IT major TCS.
The Indian Opinion
The government rightly boasts of GeM's savings, but the narrative risks becoming a one-sided triumph. Critics will ask whether these lower prices reflect genuine efficiency or simply squeeze small suppliers. The IIT Delhi study’s finding that 101 items are 74 per cent cheaper than retail e-commerce is impressive, yet retail and bulk government procurement are not the same market. The real test will be whether GeM's revamp, handled by TCS, brings even small and medium enterprises into the fold without sacrificing price discipline.
Sources (2): telanganatoday.com, deccanherald.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
