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Government e Marketplace (GeM) observed six years of Startups, Women & Youth Advantage through eTransactions (SWAYATT) initiative at its New Delhi headquarter (HQ).

About SWAYATT Initiative

Launched on February 19, 2019, SWAYATT is rooted in GeM’s foundational pillar of social inclusion. Its core objectives are:

Boost participation of women-led enterprises, startups, youth, and marginalized groups in public procurement.
Facilitate ease of doing business by providing direct market linkages to government buyers.
Empower last-mile sellers through training, onboarding, and capacity-building.

The initiative includes dedicated storefronts like “Startup Runway” and “Womaniya” to enhance visibility for startups and women entrepreneurs among lakhs of government buyers.

Government e Marketplace (GeM) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2006, to promote transparent and efficient public procurement, allowing government departments to purchase goods and services directly from sellers.

Key Achievements (2019–2025)

Women-led enterprises now constitute 8% of GeM’s total seller base. 1,77,786 Udyam-verified women MSEs have fulfilled orders worth ₹46,615 Crore.

Startups grew from 3,400 (2019) to 29,000+, securing orders worth ₹35,950 Crore.

GeM addressed barriers to market access, finance, and value-addition, enabling startups and MSEs to compete in public procurement.

Recent Developments

GeM signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FICCI-FLO), representing 9,500+ women entrepreneurs. The partnership aims to:

Provide direct access to government buyers without intermediaries.
Improve product pricing, hyper-local job creation, and inclusive growth.
Offer training and onboarding support to FICCI-FLO members.

Future Goals:

Onboard 1 lakh DPIIT-registered startups to GeM.
Double the number of women entrepreneurs on the platform.
Increase women-led enterprises’ share in national procurement from 78% to a higher percentage.

GeM’s Role in Public Procurement

GeM is India’s National Procurement Portal, established in 2016 to digitize government procurement. It is a paperless, cashless, and system-driven e-marketplace facilitating end-to-end solutions for central/state governments, PSUs, and local bodies.

Impact:

Enabled 59 crore orders worth ₹11.64 lakh Crore since inception.
Achieved ₹3 lakh Crore Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) in the current fiscal year.
Promoted “Make in India” and “Vocal for Local” by prioritizing MSMEs and local products.

SWAYATT’s Vision for 2025–2030

GeM aims to become a vibrant hub for startups in public procurement by onboarding 1 lakh DPIIT-registered startups.

Through collaborations with SHGs, FPOs, and cooperatives, GeM plans to double women entrepreneurs on the platform and increase their procurement share.

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GeM

Source:

PIB

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Critically analyze the socio-cultural, economic, and institutional challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in India. How do these barriers disproportionately affect women compared to their male counterparts? 250 words

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