Srinagar, Aug 05 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir’s share in total procurement through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has seen a consistent decline over the last five financial years, falling to just 0.40% in 2024–25, according to data provided in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Monday.
In 2020–21, J&K accounted for 2.29% of the total procurement on GeM. This figure dropped to 1.41% in 2021–22, then further to 1.06% in 2022–23 and 0.57% in 2023–24 before reaching its current low of 0.40%.
Despite the decline in procurement share, seller participation in Jammu and Kashmir remains strong. The number of new sellers and service providers from the Union Territory onboarded on GeM in 2024–25 was 4,455, while 746 new buyers joined the platform during the same period. In comparison, 6,318 new sellers joined in 2020–21, followed by 6,132 in 2021–22, 5,146 in 2022–23, and 4,852 in 2023–24, the data. A copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), reads.
The number of new buyer registrations, though lower than seller registrations, showed fluctuating trends, with 3,159 new buyers in 2020–21, 4,369 in 2021–22, 2,178 in 2022–23, and 1,211 in 2023–24, it added.
Responding to the parliamentary question, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, said the total procurement value through GeM across India since inception has reached Rs 14.77 lakh crore.
The platform's usage by central government entities has significantly increased over time—from 54.5% in 2020–21 to 88.8% in 2024–25—while the share of State and UT procurement has dropped.
The government has also introduced several technological upgrades to improve the platform’s efficiency and has been encouraging Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to join GeM to promote inclusive economic participation—(KNO)