Integrated e-Gram Swaraj and GeM Portal

Why in News? 

• On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day and marking 30 years of Panchayati Raj in India, Prime Minister will inaugurate an integrated e-Gram Swaraj and GeM portal for public procurement at the Panchayat level in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.

The Objective of Integration:

• The objective of e-Gram Swaraj–GeM Integration is to enable the Panchayats to procure their goods and services through GeM leveraging the e-Gram Swaraj platform.
• It will help the entire buyer-seller ecosystem to flourish thereby giving a major boost to rural economy and entrepreneurship along with strengthening the Digital India Program.
• Salient features:
  • Existing User base of GeM of nearly 60,000 is envisioned to increase to more than 3 lakhs in a phased manner.
  • Bringing transparency in procurement by Panchayats by making the process digital.
  • Encouragement of local vendors (Proprietors, Self Help groups, Cooperatives etc.) to register on GeM as Panchayats procure largely from such vendors.
  • Panchayats will have access to doorstep delivery of quality-assured goods at standardized and competitive rates.
  • Major Capacity building being taken by The Ministry of Panchayati Raj and GeM has also trained and appointed business facilitators in all States for handholding of the Panchayat users.

E- Gram Swaraj platform:

• The e-Gram Swaraj platform was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day in 2020.
• It was designed to operate as a single window solution for all day-to-day functioning of the Panchayats from Planning to Online Payments.

Q1) What is Panchayati Raj?

Panchayati Raj is a system of local self-government in India. It was established to provide rural areas with democratic and decentralized governance.

Source:  Celebration of National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April

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