Central Government Procurement was being controlled by a parallel industry of fake manufacturers, agents, resellers, commission agents, middlemen, representatives and such other traders who had ironclad hold on government procurements and made it as main revenue generating source from one generation to the next generation.
These are the ‘third parties’. Small procurements were decentralized whereas large amount procurements were centralized. Over decades the system had adjusted so well that the policies of any organization were completely moulded as per the requirements of these third parties. Manufacturers had no place in this procurement. The actual Central Government user again had no say in procurements.
These third parties were supported from inside by the lowest to the highest officials. These were the ‘chai-pani’ chaprasis to the head of the organization. The entire chain of procurement was well greased. This ‘procurement’ chain was the ‘Second Party”. The rules were amended and no one in the system could do anything. There were ‘lucrative’ postings which earned much more than the salaries. Friends were made, favours given and overall an atmosphere of ‘favoritism’ thrived. The user suffered.
The decentralization and selective centralization suited all. Corruption thrived. GeM (Government e-Marketplace) came in as a game changer. Procurement powers were delegated right down to the lowest. No more permissions to be obtained, no more Financial Advisers, no more delayed procurements, no corruption, no delayed payments etc. It suited the manufacturers and the actual user.
Resistance was bound to be there. Every attempt was made to derail GeM (Government e-Marketplace) which was a ‘FIRST PARTY’ (Central Government) initiative.
Author:
Col.(Retd) Sanjay Pande(Managing Director, Kshemin Global)
Combat veteran, spent 25 years in the Indian Army. Post retirement, founded Kshemin in 2012. Kshemin Technologies develops products for ‘Frontline Combat Casualty Management’ and Kshemin Global helps clients sell their products and services to the Government.
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