Maharashtra government has decided to join Centre's online e-Marketing platform 'Government e-Marketing' to weed out scams in procurement of goods and services with real time price comparison.
The online procurement portal will bring in much needed transparency as the entire process of procurement will be online for anyone to verify, Additional Director Industries Vikas Jain told reporters at the state Secretariat here.
"The portal launched a month ago by the Centre is on the lines of e-Commerce platforms where government departments will online procure goods and services with real time price comparison," he said.
Jain also said the GeM online portal will enable all the government departments, state-run corporations and civic bodies to procure consumer disposables and services like stationery, lamps, laptops, air-conditioners and fleet taxi services among others.
"The move will deliver a death blow to cartelisation of suppliers as the government can procure goods and services at affordable prices. It will also enable government to procure goods and services from a wide ranging suppliers not just from Maharashtra, but from suppliers anywhere in the country," added the official.
He also said the GeM portal designed by Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D) will ease the process for private suppliers and companies to deal with the government.
The entry process for suppliers has been made simple which relies on self-certification and user authentication through Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) using Aadhar, PAN Card or Ministry of Corporate Affairs registration, he said, adding this will enable government to ascertain whether the company or supplier is a wilful defaulter or not.
Jain further said while online registration for
suppliers and companies has been made easier, for the government departments they will have to go through mandatory security checks.
"Although the portal will offer real time comparative prices, at present though it will not provide relief if there is any rise in market prices of the product," he said.
"With the process being online the departments cannot delay the payments beyond 10 days of the supplies being made or else pending payment is reflected online," he added.
Jain said at present there are over 3,000 products in 29 categories and hiring of transport services are available on the GeM portal.
He said the government departments will have to take the responsibility of quality assurance.
"The return and refund of goods and services will be introduced in the second phase," he said, adding the move will enable government departments saving at-least 10 per cent on purchases through cost reductions.
Referring to hiring transport services, Jain said since the entire journey will be monitored online there is no possibility of government employees misusing it for personal use.
"In order to enable first time suppliers, start ups and reputed companies supplying products and services to the government, we have decided to do away with the requirement of specified annual turnover and minimum years of experience in supplying to the government," he said.
"The state government is also contemplating doing away with the procurement limit of Rs 1 crore as the entire process will be now online," Jain said.
Earlier in the day, officials from the 43 government departments and officials from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) attended a one day workshop hosted by Centre's DGS&D.
The DGS&D was set up by the British in 1860 and has expertise in making off-the-shelf purchases of disposables.
