New Delhi, July 14 (KNN) S N Tripathi, AS & DC MSME has announced that the 358 products reserved for exclusive purchase from MSMEs will be given preference in Government e-marketplace (GeM).

Tripathi made the announcement while chairing a session on facilitating e-procurement from MSMEs, at a recent workshop on GeM at Delhi.

Government e-marketplace (GeM), is an initiative by the Government to put all buyer Government departments and intending sellers on a e platform.

GeM has provision of the buyers uploading their demand and invite select suppliers to quote on reverse auction mode.

DC-MSME also announced that the buyers’ government departments will be able to identify MSME suppliers in the GeM so that they can give preference to purchase from MSMEs.

Responding to queries from some participants, Tripathi informed that the Government will take due care that only genuine MSME manufacturers are registered in the GeM.

Panel members from the MSME association mentioned that the biggest buyer from MSMEs, the public sector undertakings are not yet registered on the GeM portal.

They also raised the issue of many common items like distribution transformers, welding electrodes not available on the portal and requested inclusion of such items.

Speaking on the occasion, Radha Chauhan, DG, GeM, mentioned that an escrow fund is being created to ensure timely payment to the supplier under the GeM platform.

She also mentioned that GeM will partner with vendor certification authorities to rate the vendors and put the rating against the suppliers to assist the buyers in identifying quality suppliers.

Tripathi also informed the participants about the various measures his office is taking to enforce  20% procurement from micro and small enterprises by all Government departments and undertakings. (KNN Bureau)