007. India’s Digital Bazaar – GeM Enables 1 Million Manpower Hires 🧑💼
Governance, Economy, Digital India, Public Administration
By IAS Monk / April 3, 2025
🧿 What is GeM?
- Full Form: Government e-Marketplace
- Launched: August 2016 by Ministry of Commerce & Industry
- Version 3.0: January 2018 – with enhanced e-bidding, RA, and analytics
- Purpose: One-stop public procurement platform for goods & services
👥 Manpower Milestone
- FY 2024-25 Achievement: Over 1 million manpower hires
- Includes: Security guards, DEOs, clerks, sanitation staff, and more
- 33,000+ service providers hosted → transparent & legally compliant selection
📈 Growth Trajectory
| Year | Key Development |
|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Added services like cab, cleaning, and surveillance |
| 2023-24 | Expanded to 330+ services – incl. drone & cloud hiring |
| 2024-25 | Achieved ₹2 lakh crore GMV; 1M manpower hires |
🧮 Economic Impact
- Public procurement = 15–20% of India’s GDP
- GeM reduces cost, delays & corruption
- Estimated ₹40,000 crore savings to government
- Boosts participation from MSMEs, startups, and women entrepreneurs
✅ Compliance & Integrity
- No human interference in vendor registration or transaction flow
- Real-time monitoring, audit trail, and labour law compliance
- Encourages fair competition among suppliers
- Model for transparent e-governance under Digital India mission
📚 Relevance for UPSC
- GS2: Governance & Transparency
- GS3: Indian Economy – Public Expenditure, Infrastructure
- Essay: “Where trust meets transparency, governance becomes a service.”
✨ Closing Whisper
“When governance begins to hire through wisdom, not whispers—markets become machines of fairness.”
🔥 A Thought Spark – by IAS Monk
GeM is not just a platform.
It is India learning to buy with dignity, hire with speed, and grow with transparency.
