Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal stated on Monday that the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has completely transformed the public procurement landscape. He noted that while the platform’s Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) stood at just ₹422 crore a decade ago, it has now surged to over ₹1.55 lakh crore.
In a post shared on the social media platform X, the Union Minister remarked that GeM has become the robust foundation of a transparent, competitive, and digital government procurement system in the country. He highlighted that over 12.28 lakh Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) are registered on the portal, including more than 2.25 lakh units run by women entrepreneurs. Additionally, over 42,000 startups are associated with the platform.
Piyush Goyal stated that this demonstrates that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, grassroots empowerment is not merely a slogan but a genuine commitment of the government.
He said, “Over the past 10 years, GeM has fostered competition, ensured better price discovery, reduced procurement timelines, generated significant savings for the government, and strengthened accountability through an end-to-end digital procurement process.”
The Minister noted that GeM has made the government procurement market more accessible to MSMEs, startups, women entrepreneurs, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), artisans, and weavers. It is also bolstering campaigns such as ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Make in India’.
He added that GeM has emerged as a vital instrument in the journey towards ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-Reliant India) and is strengthening the foundation of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).
Launched in 2016, GeM has now entered its 11th year. Currently, the platform connects over 1.37 lakh government buyer organizations with approximately 25 lakh sellers and service providers. According to an official factsheet, GeM has evolved beyond a mere buying-and-selling platform to become a vital pillar of India’s digital procurement ecosystem. The portal hosts over 10,660 product categories and 350 service categories, catering to the requirements of various government departments and entities.
The government states that in the coming years, GeM will be made smarter and more integrated through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and broad-based participation, thereby further strengthening transparency, efficiency, and good governance.
