According to GeM Chief Executive Officer P K Singh, the procurement agency expects to garner about Rs 2 lakh crore sales in the year across the country. The GeM portal launched by the Centre in 2016 is for online purchase of goods and services by all central government ministries and departments.

According to him, the GeM portal has about 50 lakh registered sellers and has drawn up plans to hold campaigns to add several other retailers.

Public procurement portal Government eMarketplace projects defence procurement made through it to double to Rs 30,000 crore during the current financial year, a top official said here on Friday. According to GeM Chief Executive Officer P K Singh, the procurement agency expects to garner about Rs 2 lakh crore sales in the year across the country.

The GeM portal launched by the Centre in 2016 is for online purchase of goods and services by all central government ministries and departments.

"Defence sector has been the largest procurer through the portal since inception. Last year, the defence procurement was around Rs 15,000 crore. The target is to double it to Rs 30,000 crore this year," he told reporters here.

"Apart from weaponry, everything for Defence is done by GeM," he said. Singh, an IAS officer of the Manipur cadre, said the procurement portal achieved overall sales of Rs 1.06 lakh crore last year.

"This year, we are expecting to reach Rs 2 lakh crore post the COVID-19 pandemic... Already, we have crossed Rs 60,000 crore," he said.

According to him, the GeM portal has about 50 lakh registered sellers and has drawn up plans to hold campaigns to add several other retailers.

During the recent visit by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, several traders in Coimbatore had informed him about the lack of awareness on GeM.

Plans are afoot to hold rallies to engage the traders particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from Tamil Nadu to sign up for the portal, Singh said.

To a query about integrating panchayats with the portal, the IAS officer said the process was going on and it was expected to be completed this year. "Even panchayats in Tamil Nadu will be covered under this integration plan," he said responding to a query.

Singh said Tamil Nadu has 4.06 lakh vendors on the portal and the state government organisations have made procurement worth Rs 1,090 crore through GeM since its inception.

"This is comparatively low compared to other states since some state governments have their own e-governance agencies," Singh said adding sellers from Tamil Nadu were able to secure orders worth Rs 7,185 crore through GeM.

On the performance of start-ups engaged in the portal, he said such enterprises alone have made sales of Rs 13,000 crore last year.

"Any start-up wanting to sell their product can utilise the opportunity by registering themselves online and proceed with the sale," he said.