In News:

The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) completed 10 years of operations on 9 August 2026, marking a decade of technology-driven transformation in India's public procurement system.

About GeM

• The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is a unified, end-to-end digital platform designed to make government procurement paperless, cashless, contactless, transparent and competitive. It digitises the entire procurement cycle—from seller registration and product listing to bidding, contract award, order fulfilment and payment.
• GeM serves Central and State Ministries and Departments, PSUs, autonomous bodies, local bodies, Panchayats and cooperatives, creating a common digital marketplace for public procurement.
• Transparency and Efficient Procurement
• GeM provides multiple procurement mechanisms, including direct purchase, comparison, electronic bidding and reverse auctions. Digital records, automated workflows and real-time monitoring reduce discretion and improve accountability.
• Its data-driven tools, such as the GeM Availability Report, Past Transaction Summary, Last Purchase Price and price-trend analytics, help government buyers make more informed and cost-effective purchasing decisions.
• The platform is also being integrated with systems such as the Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP), Indian Railway Electronic Procurement System (IREPS) and Defence Public Procurement Portal (DPPP).

Scale and Inclusiveness

• GeM has connected more than 1.37 lakh government buyer organisations with nearly 25 lakh sellers and service providers, facilitating cumulative procurement exceeding ?20 lakh crore.
• It currently covers more than 10,660 product categories and 350 service categories.
• A major contribution of GeM has been expanding access to government procurement for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), women entrepreneurs, SC/ST enterprises and startups. In 2025–26, more than 11 lakh registered MSEs executed over 51 lakh orders worth more than ?2.36 lakh crore.
• Similarly, more than 2.1 lakh women-led MSEs secured procurement exceeding ?28,000 crore.

Promoting Digital and Inclusive Governance

• GeM supports broader initiatives such as Digital India, Make in India, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local and Ease of Doing Business.

• Initiatives such as SWAYATT, Womaniya, SARAS Collection and Startup Runway 2.0 facilitate the participation of startups, women entrepreneurs, rural SHGs and other smaller enterprises in public procurement.
• GeM Sahay further supports eligible proprietorship sellers by providing instant, collateral-free and paperless working-capital loans, helping them execute government orders.

Why is it in the News?

NITI Aayog on Wednesday launched the 'Vocal for Local' initiative under its Aspirational Blocks Programme to bolster local economies and foster grassroots-level entrepreneurship, an official statement said.

What is the ‘Vocal for Local’ Initiative?

• The 'Vocal for Local' initiative, led by NITI Aayog through its Aspirational Blocks Programme, aims to foster self-reliance and sustainable development.
• Under this initiative, products from 500 aspirational blocks have been curated and unified under the Aakanksha brand.
  • Aakanksha is an overarching brand, with potential extensions into various sub-brands to tap into global markets.
• A dedicated section has been established on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal under the Aakanksha brand to promote these products.
• Additionally, partners in the initiative offer support in areas such as e-commerce facilitation, establishing market linkages, financial and digital literacy, documentation and certification, and skill enhancement.

About Aspirational Blocks Programme:

• Inspired by the Aspirational District Programme launched in 2018, the Aspirational Blocks Programme extends its reach to 112 districts nationwide.
• This new initiative targets the enhancement of underperforming blocks across various development indicators.
• It aims to foster comprehensive growth in regions requiring additional support.
• Initially encompassing 500 districts across 31 States and Union Territories, the programme focuses on blocks in six key states: Uttar Pradesh (68 blocks), Bihar (61), Madhya Pradesh (42), Jharkhand (34), Odisha (29), and West Bengal (29).

What is the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)?

• Established in 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) serves as an online platform for public procurement.
• GeM acts as a centralized portal, streamlining the procurement process for common-use Goods & Services required by various Government Departments, Organizations, and PSUs.
• Purchases made through GeM by Government users are mandated by the Ministry of Finance under the General Financial Rules, 2017.
• GeM is operated by GeM SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle), a 100% Government-owned, non-profit company operating under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.