GeM Suvidha Kendras (GSKs)

Source: News on Air

Context

On 18 June 2026, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), India’s National Public Procurement Portal under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoCI), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Common Service Centre e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC-SPV) at the GeM Office in New Delhi. The MoU was signed by Shri Ajit B. Chavan (Additional Chief Executive Officer of GeM) and Shri Subodh Mishra (Senior Vice President of CSC-SPV). Under the partnership, 50 GeM Suvidha Kendras (GSKs) will be established on a pilot basis through the CSC network across Delhi-NCR, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, and West Bengal. The MoU expands an earlier 2022 collaboration that helped 5.3 lakh sellers complete registration and profile creation, now broadening the scope to cover Vendor Assessment, Brand Approval, and Product & Service Catalogue creation. The beneficiaries include MSEs, women entrepreneurs, SC/ST entrepreneurs, startups, SHGs, FPOs, artisans, weavers, local manufacturers, and other small businesses.

The MoU

• Date of signing: 18 June 2026.
• Venue: GeM Office, New Delhi.
• Signed by:
  • Shri Ajit B. Chavan (Additional CEO, GeM).
  • Shri Subodh Mishra (SVP, CSC-SPV).
• Type: Strategic partnership MoU.
• Context: Expansion of 2022 GeM-CSC partnership.

Key Highlights

50 GeM Suvidha Kendras (GSKs)

• Number: 50 to be established on pilot basis.
• Mode: Through the CSC network.
• States covered (Verified):
  1. Delhi-NCR.
  2. Maharashtra.
  3. Uttar Pradesh (UP).
  4. Gujarat.
  5. Tamil Nadu (TN).
  6. Kerala.
  7. Karnataka.
  8. Telangana.
  9. West Bengal (WB).

About GeM (Government e-Marketplace)

• Launched: 9 August 2016.
• Owned by: GeM SPV, a Section 8 company.
• Under: Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• Purpose: Online procurement of goods and services by government departments, PSUs, autonomous bodies.
• CEO: Currently leadership under Ministry of Commerce.
• Major statistics (mid-2026 approximate):
  • GMV (Gross Merchandise Value): ₹10+ lakh crore cumulative.
  • Buyers: 75,000+ government organisations.
  • Sellers: 2.2 crore+.
  • Products and services: 12,000+ categories.

GeM’s Key Features

• Transparency: Open and visible procurement.
• Efficiency: Reduced procurement time and cost.
• Inclusivity: Special privileges for MSEs, women entrepreneurs, startups, SHGs.
• e-Bidding and reverse auctions.
• Direct purchase up to ₹50,000.
• Multiple modes: Direct purchase, bid, reverse auction.

GeM’s Inclusive Procurement Initiatives

• MSE Procurement: 25% of total procurement from MSEs (3% from SC/ST, 4% from women MSEs).
• Womaniya on GeM: Dedicated marketplace for women-led businesses.
• Startup Runway: Dedicated startup marketplace.
• Khadi: KVIC products.
• TRIBES India: Tribal products.

About Common Service Centres (CSCs)

What are CSCs?

• Access points for delivery of essential public utility services, social welfare schemes, healthcare, financial, education, agriculture services, etc.
• Located in: Villages, towns, semi-urban areas across India.
• Operated by: Village-Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).

About CSC-SPV (CSC e-Governance Services India Limited)

• Established: 2009.
• Type: Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
• Section: Section 25 company (now Section 8) of Companies Act.
• Under: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Purpose: Implementation and management of the CSC scheme across India.
• Headquartered: New Delhi.

CSC Network Statistics (Approximate)

• Total CSCs: Over 5.5 lakh across India.
• States covered: All 28 states + UTs.
• Services offered: 400+ digital services.

Services Provided by CSCs

• Aadhaar services.
• PAN card application.
• Voter ID services.
• Passport application.
• Banking services (BC, micro-ATM).
• Insurance (PMJJBY, PMSBY).
• Pension (APY).
• Telemedicine.
• Educational services.
• Agricultural services.
• GeM seller onboarding.

About the Digital India Programme

• Launched: 1 July 2015.
• Vision: To transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
• Pillars:
  1. Digital infrastructure.
  2. Governance and services on demand.
  3. Digital empowerment of citizens.
• CSCs are a key delivery mechanism for Digital India services.

Practice MCQs

Q1. With reference to the GeM-CSC-SPV MoU (18 June 2026), consider the following statements:

1. The MoU was signed at the GeM Office in New Delhi on 18 June 2026.
2. It was signed by Ajit B. Chavan (Additional CEO, GeM) and Subodh Mishra (SVP, CSC-SPV).
3. Under the partnership, 50 GeM Suvidha Kendras (GSKs) will be established on a pilot basis.
4. The MoU was signed by the Reserve Bank of India.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None

(Statement 4 is wrong; the MoU was signed between GeM and CSC-SPV, NOT the RBI.)

Q2. With reference to the 50 GeM Suvidha Kendras (GSKs), consider the following statements:

1. They will be established across Delhi-NCR, Maharashtra, UP, Gujarat, TN, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, and West Bengal.
2. They will be established through the CSC network.
3. They will provide registration, training, and onboarding support to sellers.
4. They will benefit MSEs, women entrepreneurs, startups, SHGs, FPOs, artisans, and weavers.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None

Q3. With reference to the expanded scope of the MoU, consider the following statements:

1. The new framework supports Vendor Assessment, Brand Approval, and Product & Service Catalogue creation.
2. It builds on the earlier 2022 GeM-CSC collaboration that helped 5.3 lakh sellers complete registration.
3. The aim is to help sellers become active on the GeM platform.
4. The MoU is limited to seller registration only, with no support for catalogue creation.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None

(Statement 4 is wrong; the new MoU includes catalogue creation, NOT limited to registration only.)

Q4. With reference to the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), consider the following statements:

1. GeM was launched on 9 August 2016 under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
2. It is owned by GeM SPV, a Section 8 company.
3. It is India’s National Public Procurement Portal.
4. GeM is operated by the Ministry of Defence.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None

(Statement 4 is wrong; GeM is under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, NOT the Ministry of Defence.)

Q5. With reference to Common Service Centres (CSCs) and CSC-SPV, consider the following statements:

1. CSCs are physical access points for delivery of digital services in villages and semi-urban areas.
2. CSC-SPV was established in 2009 under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
3. CSCs are operated by Village-Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).
4. There are about 5.5 lakh CSCs across India.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None

Q6. With reference to Public Procurement Policy for MSEs, consider the following statements:

1. Central Ministries, Departments, and CPSUs must procure at least 25 per cent of their total annual purchases from MSEs.
2. Within the 25 per cent, 4 per cent is reserved for SC/ST entrepreneurs.
3. Within the 25 per cent, 3 per cent is reserved for women entrepreneurs.
4. The Public Procurement Policy was first introduced in 2012 and revised in 2018.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None

Answer Key

1. (c), Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because the MoU was between GeM and CSC-SPV.
2. (d), All four statements are correct.
3. (c), Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because the MoU includes catalogue creation.
4. (c), Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because GeM is under Ministry of Commerce.
5. (d), All four statements are correct.
6. (d), All four statements are correct.

Exam Relevance

NABARD Grade A

Very high importance, MSME, rural commerce, financial inclusion