Kumar Bahukhandi
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal presents the ‘GeM Sustainable Procurement Award’ to representatives of the Chhattisgarh Government during the 10th Foundation Day celebrations of Government e-Marketplace (GeM) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.-Photo Credit-channel24india.com via CG/PR
Key Factors
- ₹3,935 crore — Chhattisgarh’s GeM procurement during 2025-26
- 113% — Year-on-year increase in procurement
- ₹130 crore — Estimated savings through competitive bidding in 2025-26
- ₹235 crore — Cumulative savings over three financial years
- ₹1,800 crore — Procurement from Micro and Small Enterprises
- 61% — Increase in MSE procurement
- 97% — Growth in procurement from women entrepreneurs
- 108% — Growth in procurement from SC-ST entrepreneurs
- 178% — Increase in procurement from startups
State procurement through Government e-Marketplace touches ₹3,935 crore in 2025-26; competitive bidding saves ₹130 crore while MSEs secure orders worth ₹1,800 crore
New Delhi/Raipur: Chhattisgarh has been honoured with the ‘GeM Sustainable Procurement Award’ at the 10th Foundation Day celebrations of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, recognising the state’s growing adoption of transparent and competitive digital procurement.
Chhattisgarh received the recognition under the ‘Premier Awards – State Government Felicitation’ category for its effective utilisation of the GeM platform and the substantial increase in both the value and volume of government procurement.
Competitive Bidding Saves ₹130 Crore
The expansion of digital procurement has also translated into savings for the state exchequer.
According to the state government, transparent and competitive bidding through GeM resulted in savings of approximately ₹130 crore during 2025-26. The saving represents the difference between the estimated procurement cost and the actual market price obtained following competitive bidding.
Over the past three financial years, the state government estimates that competitive procurement has generated cumulative savings of ₹235 crore.
GeM’s open bidding system, standardised specifications and digitally auditable transaction records are intended to bring greater transparency and competition into public procurement. The state has also been reviewing tender conditions and technical specifications to ensure that procurement standards keep pace with changing departmental requirements.
Small Businesses Secure ₹1,800 Crore in Orders
One of the more notable aspects of Chhattisgarh’s GeM performance has been the increasing participation of smaller enterprises.
Procurement from Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) increased 61% to ₹1,800 crore during 2025-26, considerably exceeding the stipulated 25% MSE procurement target.
Participation by other priority categories also recorded sharp growth. Purchases from women entrepreneurs increased by 97%, while procurement from entrepreneurs belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities rose 108%.
The strongest growth was recorded in procurement from startups, which increased by 178%.
‘GeM Has Opened Government Market to Entrepreneurs’: CM Sai
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, welcoming the recognition, said GeM had created an effective mechanism through which entrepreneurs in Chhattisgarh could directly access government demand and procurement opportunities without intermediaries.
He said the increased participation of women entrepreneurs, SC-ST entrepreneurs and startups demonstrated the potential of a transparent digital procurement system.
Sai said an open digital marketplace provides entrepreneurs with equal opportunities and that the government’s objective is to extend its benefits to a larger number of micro and small businesses across the state.
“Our government is making continuous efforts to ensure that more micro and small entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, SC-ST entrepreneurs and startups benefit from this system,” the Chief Minister said, emphasising that transparent government procurement and stronger local entrepreneurship would contribute to the larger goal of building a developed Chhattisgarh.
The award assumes significance not merely because of the sharp increase in procurement volumes, but also because the state’s figures indicate a broader shift towards competitive digital purchasing while expanding opportunities for smaller suppliers.
