GeM Finalizing Plan to Enable Work Contracts for Construction Projects.

Government e-Market (GeM), the online platform for public procurement of goods and services, is finalizing a plan to allow work contracts for construction and building projects to be bid through the platform. GeM CEO Prashant Kumar Singh announced that the plan will soon be presented to the Department of Commerce for approval.

The proposal, which requires the Union Cabinet’s nod, is expected to be part of the new government's 100-day program. “We have asked for approval on GeM works contracts... within 100 days. The Commerce Department will seek the Union Cabinet’s approval,” Singh said at a press briefing on Thursday.

GeM is currently holding stakeholder consultations and engaging with buyers and construction agencies for inputs before finalizing the proposal.

In the first quarter of 2024-25, total procurement of goods and services through GeM crossed ₹1.24 lakh crore, marking a 136 percent quarter-on-quarter growth over last year’s ₹52,607 crore. Singh stated that if this pace continues, GeM will become the world’s largest procurement platform by the end of the fiscal year, surpassing South Korea’s KONEPS.

Procurement by Central Ministries, including Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), exceeded the ₹1 lakh crore milestone in this period. The Ministries of Coal, Defence, and Petroleum and Gas emerged as the top procurers, with CPSEs accounting for over ₹91,000 crore of the ₹1 lakh crore GMV.

To enhance its reach, GeM is planning to roll out the ‘GeM SAHAYAK’ program, which will create a pan-India network of 6,000-7,000 trained and certified accredited trainers. These trainers will assist potential and existing GeM sellers in navigating the platform and enhancing business opportunities. “Buyers too will benefit from the services of these SAHAYAKS in terms of creation of bids and other value-added services,” the statement added.

HBL