About GeM 

• Launched in 2016, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is a 100 percent government-owned company setup under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. 
• It is a completely paperless, cashless and system driven e-market place that enables procurement of common use goods and services with minimal human interface. 
• GeM aims to enhance transparency, efficiency and speed in public procurement.
• GeM was developed with the technical support of the National eGovernance Division under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• In 2017, the government made it mandatory for all the departments and ministries to source goods and services from the GeM. 
• At present, the platform is open for procurement by all government buyers: central and state ministries, departments, public sector enterprises, autonomous institutions, local bodies, etc. 
• In 2022, the government gave its approval for expanding the mandate of GeM to allow procurement by Cooperatives as buyers on GeM.
• As per existing mandate, GeM is not available for use by private sector buyers. Suppliers (sellers) can be from across all segments: government or private.

Why in News?

• The Government e Marketplace (GeM) has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing ₹5 lakh crore in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) on its portal.
• This achievement highlights GeM’s rapid expansion as a primary tool for public procurement, serving a buyer base of over 1.6 lakh government entities. 

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2111862\