GeM, Rail e-procurement system to be integrated by year end

10 Aug 2021 CW Team

India's national procurement portal, Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and Railways' e-procurement system are to be integrated by the end of 2021 to simplify and unify the buying and selling process for ministries and government agencies.

The GeM integration is expected to push procurement to Rs 1 lakh crore in this financial year (FY), with Rs 1.11 lakh crore purchases made on the portal since its inception in August 2016.

CEO of GeM, Prashant Kumar Singh, said that higher procurement is expected from the rail integration by October or November. They are looking at August to roll out a pilot, after which they can go live. The gross merchandise value (GMV) of GeM in 2020-21 was nearly Rs 39,000 crore.

Without the integration system, the Indian Railways E-procurement System (IREPS) can produce a GMV of about Rs 80 lakh crore on the portal. The integration process is complex, but GeM is on the right track, Singh said.

The GeM was launched on 9 August 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to make and open a transparent procurement platform of the commonly used goods and services for all government sectors, ministries, and public sectors.

The GeM helps the centre and state government to get the best value for taxpayers' money by effectively carrying out public procurement using e-bidding, reverse e-auction, and demand aggregation. Earlier, physical bids, bid evaluation and finalization of the winning bid was the procurement method under the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposal.

Image Source

Infrastructure Urban

06 Apr 2026

InsideFPV Delivers ₹10 Crore Kamikaze Drone Order Under MoD’s EPR Route

InsideFPV, a Surat-based drone technology manufacturer, has successfully executed a ₹10 crore defence contract to supply indigenous kamikaze drones under the Ministry of Defence’s Emergency Procurement Route (EPR). The company completed the delivery of hundreds of FPV kamikaze drone platforms within a rapid two-month timeframe, highlighting its ability to meet urgent military procurement timelines.The supply orders were fulfilled under the emergency procurement mechanism, which is aimed at fast-tracking acquisitions for immediate operational needs. InsideFPV’s quick execution reflects it..

Vedanta Resources Secures Fitch Upgrade to ‘BB-’, Best Rating Since 2015

Vedanta Resources Limited (VRL), a global player in metals, oil & gas, critical minerals, power and technology, has received a credit rating upgrade from Fitch Ratings, marking its strongest bond rating in over a decade.Fitch has raised Vedanta Resources’ Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘BB-’ from ‘B+’, while maintaining a Stable Outlook. The agency also upgraded VRL’s senior unsecured rating, along with the ratings of US dollar-denominated bonds issued by Vedanta Resources Finance II Plc and guaranteed by VRL, to ‘BB-’.The upgrade represents Vedan..

NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter Launched

The NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter was recently launched at Excelerate 2026 in Mumbai, marking a key step towards integrating emerging real estate leaders from the National Capital Region with the national platform. The initiative aims to promote sustainable and responsible urban development through collaboration and knowledge exchange.The event brought together young developers, entrepreneurs, and professionals from across NCR, including Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, and Meerut. Discussions focused on urban development, finance, sustainability, innovation, and policy, emphasisi..