The Government of West Bengal has made its new e-tendering portal, tenders.wb.gov.in, mandatory for 25 state departments and all their subordinate offices from 3 November 2026. A notification issued by the Audit Branch of the state Finance Department on 2 November 2026 says every new tender from these departments must now be floated only on the new platform.
The order, signed by Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) P K Mishra, says the state launched the portal to ensure the “timely and effective implementation” of government schemes and to bring more transparency to public tendering. It adds West Bengal to the list of states using digital public procurement to cut delays and improve accountability.
What the West Bengal e-tendering order changes
Until now, departments could publish tenders through their own channels or the older state e-procurement system. Under the new order, the listed departments and their branch offices must invite all fresh tenders through the single portal, and data from the old portal is being moved to the new system, according to the Finance Department.
Departments brought under the mandate include:
- Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing, Animal Resources Development, Fisheries, Horticulture and Food Processing Industries
- School Education, Higher Education, Labour, Housing and Tourism
- Information Technology and Electronics, Information and Cultural Affairs, Industries and Commerce
- Home and Hill Affairs, Fire and Emergency Services, Correctional Administration, Judicial and Disaster Management
- Food and Supplies, Consumer Affairs, Cooperation, Backward Classes Welfare, and Women and Child Development
Some reports put the count at 26 departments, depending on how combined departments are listed. Officials have told departments to follow the new rules strictly from Tuesday, 3 November.
How the portal was rolled out
The Finance Department started the new e-tender portal on a trial basis on 3 December 2025 through a special memorandum. On 12 August 2026, its use was extended to the Public Works Department and a few other departments that had applied to join. The latest order is the first time the state has moved a large group of departments onto the platform at once.
A Finance Department official said the aim is to speed up tendering and build one common digital system across departments. With tenders from different departments in one place, Nabanna expects closer monitoring of contract awards and fewer delays in project work.
Why it matters for state e-governance
Public procurement is one of the largest areas of state spending, and fragmented tender systems make it harder to track timelines, compare bids and audit awards. A single portal gives the Finance Department one view of tendering across departments, much like the state public procurement portal Punjab unveiled for transparency and efficiency.
The move also fits a wider national push to make government buying more open and accessible, from the BHASHINI and GeM partnership for multilingual public procurement to research on how public procurement shapes AI governance in India. Bidders and vendors working with West Bengal departments can find state tender information through the West Bengal e-procurement system and the Government of West Bengal portal.
Key takeaways
- From 3 November 2026, 25 West Bengal departments must float all new tenders only on tenders.wb.gov.in.
- The order was issued on 2 November 2026 by the Finance Department, signed by Additional Chief Secretary P K Mishra.
- The portal began as a pilot in December 2025 and was extended to the Public Works Department in August 2026.
FAQ
Which portal must West Bengal departments use for tenders?
The 25 listed departments and their subordinate offices must publish all new tenders on the new state e-tender portal, tenders.wb.gov.in, from 3 November 2026.
Why has West Bengal made e-tendering mandatory?
The Finance Department says the aim is timely and effective implementation of government schemes, faster tendering and greater transparency through one common digital system.
Featured image: Nabanna, the West Bengal state secretariat in Howrah. Photo: Government of West Bengal / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 1.0)