Mumbai, Jan 16 (KNN) To deliberate on the issue of the National Public Procurement Policy in India, the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) and CUTS International have organised a conference here.

The consultation on ‘National Public Procurement Policy in India’ and a ‘Technical Session on Sustainability in Public Procurement’ will be held on January-20, hosted by the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI).

The seminar will focus on trade policy, competition policy, sustainable procurement policy, fiscal policy and the new manufacturing policy amongst others.

It will be attended by a variety of stakeholders such as state public sector utilities, the state government, and the central government officers, PSUs, private sector companies, SMEs, CSOs, entities which are engaged in green manufacturing and those with general concern on the general policy and sustainability related concerns pertaining to procurement.

Currently, “CUTS is implementing a project pertaining to the development of a “National Public Procurement Policy in India” under which this consultation is conceptualized. This project is attempting to formulate a draft overarching public procurement policy which considers interfaces between public expenditure and related macroeconomic policies including, but not limited to trade policy, competition policy, sustainable procurement policy, fiscal policy and the new manufacturing policy amongst others,” said a release.

Twenty per cent of the GDP or Rs 12 to 15 lakh crore per annum is spent on public procurement in India (UNODC 2013). Given the massive size of public spending, public sector in India can be a prime driver towards sustainable production and consumption and can create environmental and economic benefits.

CRB is implementing a series of sessions in different locations in the country on “Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP)” and the technical session will focus on insights into the benefits of SPP and how standards and labels can be used as tools to support the implementation of SPP approaches.

CRB is engaged in promoting awareness and uptake of sustainability standards (SS) as a mechanism and tools for businesses and government agencies to help mainstream sustainable approaches in operations.

On the other hand, CUTS is a not for profit organisation which focuses on issues of good governance, regulation and trade. 

Both the organisations are working in Public Procurement policy space.  (KNN/ST)