The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has formalized a significant partnership with the Government of Sikkim through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aiming to strengthen the utilization of GeM’s online procurement platform among Sikkim’s government departments. The signing ceremony was led by Vijay Bhushan Pathak, IAS, Chief Secretary of Sikkim, who emphasized the importance of digital solutions in improving procurement processes within government bodies. Representing GeM, Chief Buyer Officer (States and UTs) A.V. Muralidharan signed the MoU, while Tarun Kumar Sharma, Chief Accounts Officer of the Home Department, signed on behalf of Sikkim. Other dignitaries present included Amardeep Gupta, Director and GeM Nodal Officer for Sikkim, Deputy Director (States) Ashutosh Kumar, and Enosh Kumar, GeM consultant for Sikkim.

In recent months, Sikkim’s government departments have leveraged the GeM portal to facilitate transactions totalling nearly ₹90 crores as of October 23, 2024. This MoU formalizes GeM’s continued support in providing targeted training, guidance, and capacity-building programs to enhance Sikkim’s adoption of GeM for public procurement. The state currently has 3,078 registered sellers on the platform, with 2,720 classified as micro-sellers, collectively securing orders worth ₹182 crore. This access allows Sikkim-based sellers to participate in tenders and orders issued not only by the Central Government and Sikkim’s State Government but also by other state governments and Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).

Looking forward, GeM will partner with Sikkim’s MSME Department to expand seller onboarding initiatives, further integrating local businesses into the procurement ecosystem. This collaboration aligns with GeM’s overarching goal to democratize public procurement by making the process more accessible, inclusive, and efficient.

GeM’s platform, designed as a one-stop solution for the procurement of goods and services across Central Government, State Governments, CPSEs, and Cooperatives, has modernized public procurement practices. In the fiscal year 2023-24, procurement through GeM exceeded ₹4 lakh crore, marking an extraordinary milestone for the platform. With the consistent support of government buyers and sellers, GeM anticipates even greater procurement volumes in FY 2024-25.

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GeM’s strategic initiatives, focused on onboarding more state-level buyers and sellers, have strengthened transparency, inclusivity, and cost-effectiveness in procurement. Through its online marketplace and reverse auction features, GeM has evolved into a comprehensive solution that goes beyond tender publication, offering functionalities such as direct purchase, L1 purchase, competitive bidding, and reverse auctions.

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