Government is going to create an Amazon like web portal for procuring its goods and services from vendors. If created, such an entity will undertake the entire procedures for procurement needed for the government in a centralized manner. Besides the digital non-paper format, the portal will bring completer transparency as information is easily accessible to the public.
Revealing this move, Ms, Rita Teaotia, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry told that it will save at least 10% of government money during procurement.
At present, the public sector is around 25% of India’s GDP and procurement by the government is about 20% of the whole trade.
The portal will be used for the purchase of public utilities including defence, railways, state owned utilities and state governments.
The programme will be implemented as a part of the National e-Governance Plan. Already several web portals are performing commendable services related to government activities under the Plan. Government has adopted e-tender system recently to reduce paper work and delays.
Several observers point out that though the move will save time and effort, it is not necessary that corruption will be halted unless additional efforts are made.
