Chhattisgarh Wins Big On Digital Procurement: ?3,935 Crore Purchases, ?130 Crore Saved Chhattisgarh has achieved another significant national recognition in transparent and technology-driven governance, with the State receiving the GeM Sustainable Procurement Award at the 10th Foundation Day celebrations of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in New Delhi. The achievement reflects the sustained emphasis of the government led by Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai on transparency, fiscal prudence, technology-enabled governance and ensuring maximum value for every rupee of public expenditure. The award was conferred under the Premier Awards in the State Government Felicitation category for Chhattisgarh’s sustained efforts towards GeM adoption and the significant increase in both the value and volume of procurement through the platform.The ceremony, organised under the theme “GeM 10: A Decade of Exponential Possibilities,” was held in the presence of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal and senior representatives from the Government of India and States. Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated the officers and employees associated with the achievement and said that the national recognition reflects Chhattisgarh’s commitment to transparent, accountable and efficient governance. “Transparency and judicious utilisation of public money are fundamental to good governance. Our endeavour is to ensure that technology makes government procurement more competitive, efficient and accountable, while creating greater opportunities for our MSMEs, startups, women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from SC/ST communities. The GeM Sustainable Procurement Award is an acknowledgement of Team Chhattisgarh’s collective efforts towards building a transparent and inclusive procurement ecosystem,” Chief Minister Shri VishnuDeo Sai said. Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said that the State Government is consistently leveraging technology to simplify administrative processes, strengthen accountability and ensure better utilisation of public resources. Chhattisgarh recorded a remarkable expansion in procurement through the Government e-Marketplace during FY 2025-26.The State’s total procurement through GeM reached ?3,935 crore, registering an impressive 113% growth over the previous financial year. The growth follows the State Government’s sustained efforts to bring procurement by departments, corporations and local bodies onto a common digital platform. This has expanded the share of government purchases subjected to transparent price discovery, open competition and an auditable procurement process. The sharp increase in GeM adoption also demonstrates the State Government’s commitment to reducing procedural opacity and establishing a procurement system in which quality, competitiveness and value for public money remain paramount. The transition towards competitive digital procurement has also generated substantial savings for the State exchequer. In FY 2025-26 alone, competitive bidding through GeM resulted in savings of ?130 crore. These savings represent the difference between the estimated procurement cost of government departments and the final prices discovered through open competition among qualified sellers. Over the last three financial years, the State has achieved cumulative savings of ?235 crore through competitive bidding on the platform. Open bidding, standardised specifications and a single auditable digital record for transactions have strengthened transparency and price discovery in the procurement process. The State Government is also continuously reviewing procurement procedures and tender specifications to maintain quality while ensuring healthy competition among suppliers. In line with Chief Minister Shri Sai’s emphasis on strengthening local enterprise and generating wider economic opportunities, Chhattisgarh’s growing adoption of GeM has significantly expanded access to government procurement for micro and small enterprises. Procurement from micro and small enterprises increased by 61% to ?1,800 crore in FY 2025-26, comfortably exceeding the mandated 25% MSE procurement target. This growth assumes significance as government procurement can serve as an important catalyst for strengthening small businesses, expanding markets and creating employment opportunities. Through GeM, enterprises can access government demand directly through a transparent digital marketplace, thereby reducing dependence on intermediaries and making the procurement ecosystem more accessible and competitive. The State has also recorded exceptional growth in procurement from priority and emerging categories of entrepreneurs. During FY 2025-26, procurement from women entrepreneurs grew by 97%, while orders to SC/ST entrepreneurs increased by 108%. Startups registered the fastest growth among all categories, recording an impressive 178% increase in procurement. The figures demonstrate that the expansion of transparent di