The Government of India recently celebrated the impressive strides made by the “SWAYATT” initiative at an event in New Delhi. This commemoration underscores the initiative’s crucial role in promoting ‘Start-ups, Women and Youth Advantage Through e-Transactions’ (SWAYATT) on the Government E-Marketplace (GeM).
Understanding the SWAYATT Initiative
Launched in February 2019 under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the SWAYATT initiative is designed to amalgamate key stakeholders in India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with the national procurement portal, the Government e-Marketplace. This integration facilitates effective engagement between these parties, thereby enhancing opportunities for growth and success.
The Significant Progress of SWAYATT Initiative
Since its inception, the SWAYATT initiative has marked notable achievements. These include:
Enhanced Business Opportunities
Over 8.5 lakh Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) have registered on the GeM portal via the SWAYATT initiative. This registration has led to business gains of over Rs. 1.87 lakh crore, spread across more than 68 lakh orders.
Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs
Women have also considerably benefited from the initiative, with more than 1.45 lakh women MSEs successfully fulfilling over 7.32 lakh orders worth 15,922 Crore.
Upliftment of SC/ST Entrepreneurs
The SWAYATT initiative empowers not just women but also SC/ST entrepreneurs. Approximately 43,000 SC/ ST MSEs have so far delivered more than 1.35 lakh orders, valued at Rs. 2,592 Crore, through the GeM portal.
Facilitating Market Access to Farmers
The project has also facilitated the sale of agricultural products by farmers. At present, 105 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) can sell over 200 Agri products directly to the Government through GeM.
A Closer Look at the Government e-Marketplace
The Government e-Marketplace, or GeM, is an online platform inaugurated in 2016 to simplify the procurement of goods and services by government ministries, departments, public sector undertakings (PSUs), and other such entities. Envisioned as the National Procurement Portal of India, GeM was developed by the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (Ministry of Commerce and Industry) with technical support from the National e-governance Division (Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology). The portal is managed under the directorship of the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D), part of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
GeM ensures procurement processes are entirely paperless, cashless, and system-driven, with minimal human interference. Its effective design and robust functionality have made it an indispensable tool for many organizations, bolstering the SWAYATT initiative’s objectives in the process.
