Raipur: Chhattisgarh has been conferred the ‘GeM Sustainable Procurement Award’ for its effective use of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and significant growth in government procurement through the digital platform.
The award was presented during the 10th Foundation Day celebrations of GeM in New Delhi in the presence of Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. The event marked a decade of GeM under the theme ‘GeM 10: A Decade of Exponential Possibilities’.
Chhattisgarh received the recognition under the ‘Premier Awards – State Government Felicitation’ category. The award acknowledges the state’s efforts to expand transparent, competitive and sustainable government procurement through GeM.
GeM Procurement Rises 113% to ₹3,935 Crore
Chhattisgarh recorded a sharp increase in procurement through GeM during the 2025-26 financial year.
Government procurement through the platform reached ₹3,935 crore, registering a 113% increase over the previous financial year.
The growth has been attributed to the state government’s efforts to bring procurement by government departments, corporations and local bodies onto a common digital platform.
By shifting a larger volume of purchases to GeM, the state has brought more procurement under an open and competitive bidding system, helping improve transparency while enabling government agencies to secure competitive prices.
₹130 Crore Saved Through Competitive Bidding
The increased use of GeM also generated substantial savings for the Chhattisgarh government.
The state saved approximately ₹130 crore during 2025-26 through the transparent and competitive tendering process available on the platform. The savings were calculated based on the difference between estimated procurement costs and the actual prices discovered through open competitive bidding.
Over the past three financial years, Chhattisgarh has accumulated total savings of around ₹235 crore through competitive procurement.
GeM’s digital procurement mechanism includes open bidding, standardized specifications and digitally auditable transaction records. These features are aimed at promoting competition and reducing the scope for opaque procurement practices.
The state has also established checks and monitoring mechanisms at different stages of procurement. Tender conditions and technical specifications are reviewed periodically to ensure that the quality of procurement is maintained and that goods and services remain aligned with changing requirements.
MSEs Receive Orders Worth ₹1,800 Crore
The expansion of GeM procurement has also increased the participation of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in the government marketplace.
During 2025-26, procurement from MSEs increased by 61% to ₹1,800 crore.
The figure is significantly higher than the prescribed 25% procurement target for MSEs, indicating a substantial expansion in the participation of smaller businesses in government purchasing.
The state also recorded strong growth in procurement from several priority categories of entrepreneurs.
Procurement from women entrepreneurs increased by 97%, while purchases from SC and ST entrepreneurs grew by 108%. The highest increase was recorded in procurement from startups, which rose by 178%.
These figures point to the growing role of GeM as a platform through which smaller businesses and emerging enterprises can access government demand.
GeM Expands Market Access for Local Entrepreneurs
The Chhattisgarh government’s increased reliance on GeM has sought to make government procurement more accessible to entrepreneurs by reducing dependence on intermediaries.
The digital marketplace enables businesses to directly participate in government procurement opportunities while allowing government buyers to compare products, services and prices through a standardized platform.
The increase in participation from women entrepreneurs, SC/ST entrepreneurs and startups has emerged as one of the notable outcomes of the state’s increased GeM adoption.
CM Vishnu Deo Sai Hails GeM’s Role
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai welcomed the state’s recognition and said GeM had created a direct link between the state’s entrepreneurs and government demand.
He said the platform has opened the government market to entrepreneurs by reducing the role of intermediaries and providing a transparent digital marketplace.
Sai highlighted the increased participation of micro and small entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, SC/ST entrepreneurs and startups, saying that the growth demonstrated the benefits of a transparent procurement system.
He said the state government would continue working to ensure that the benefits of GeM reach a larger number of local entrepreneurs while strengthening transparent government procurement.
The Chief Minister also linked the initiative to the broader objective of building a developed Chhattisgarh, with local entrepreneurship and transparent government purchasing playing an important role.
GeM Procurement and Savings: Key Figures
- Total GeM procurement: ₹3,935 crore in 2025-26
- Growth in procurement: 113% year-on-year
- Savings through competitive procurement: ₹130 crore in 2025-26
- Total savings over three financial years: ₹235 crore
- Procurement from MSEs: ₹1,800 crore
- Growth in MSE procurement: 61%
- Growth in procurement from women entrepreneurs: 97%
- Growth in procurement from SC/ST entrepreneurs: 108%
- Growth in procurement from startups: 178%
Read also: Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai Releases 30th Mahtari Vandan Yojana Instalment for 67.20 Lakh Women
