New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) The Centre’s push for transparent governance has got a digital boost as the Government e-marketplace (GeM) is opening doors for the marginalised, cutting red tape and ensuring massive savings, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) shared on X social media platform an article written on the GeM platform by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.

“The government’s push for transparent governance gets a digital boost. @GeM_India is opening doors for the marginalised, cutting red tape and ensuring massive savings. A detailed take on the GeM platform by Union Minister Piyush Goyal, an insightful read!” according to the PMO.

Piyush Goyal said that the GeM portal has eliminated entry barriers, weeded out corruption, empowered and uplifted marginalised sections, especially in small towns, and enabled massive savings of taxpayers’ money.

“Since its inception nine years ago, the digital public procurement platform GeM-India has become a key engine of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047,” the minister stated.

Goyal highlighted that as a transformative digital initiative, GeM has revolutionised the way government buys goods and services by weeding out corruption and giving opportunities to startups, MSMEs, women and businesses in small towns.

The GeM has rapidly emerged as a world leader in providing a transparent, inclusive and efficient platform for public procurement. It connects more than 1.6 lakh government buyers with 23 lakh sellers and service providers, he has stated in an article.

Since its inception in 2016, orders worth more than Rs 13.4 lakh crore have been transacted on the GeM portal. Public procurement via the platform rose to a record Rs 5.43 lakh crore in 2024-25. GeM aims to raise its annual business to Rs 7 lakh crore in the current fiscal.

According to Goyal, GeM has undoubtedly emerged as a technological behemoth in the public procurement landscape. The magnitude of business transacted is likely to make it the world’s largest public procurement portal, surpassing well-established institutions like South Korea’s KONEPS, in the near future.

GeM has also successfully facilitated the insurance of more than 1.3 crore individuals covering health, life and personal accident insurance policies during the financial year 2024-25.

It aims to bridge the gap between innovators and government buyers, enabling faster scale, market validation, and meaningful contribution to India’s global innovation standing.

The government has also stressed upon key reforms in the public procurement system through the GeM, including robust anti-cartel safeguards and expert-led interventions to further improve efficiency, transparency and growth.

Goyal recently chaired a meeting with key GeM officials and stakeholders, emphasised on empowering both buyers and sellers on the platform.

–IANS

sps/na