Uttar Pradesh

• 12 Dec 2024

UP- First State to Fully Adopt GeM Platform

Why in News? 

Recently, Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in India to fully integrate the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) platform, enhancing transparency and efficiency in public procurement.  

• This move is projected to save Rs 2,000 crore annually while fostering fair practices and empowering small businesses. 

 Key Points 

• Prior tendering systems in Uttar Pradesh lacked uniformity and were vulnerable to misuse. 
• GeM resolves these issues by enforcing standardized rules, thereby reducing the chances of violations or loopholes. 
• The state government aims to scale up GeM usage across all state departments, ensuring compliance and enhancing accountability. 
• Demonstrated Success: 
  • The Uttar Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board used GeM to procure materials for 18 Atal Residential Schools. 
    • These schools, serving students from Class 6 to intermediate level, now offer exemplary learning environments, including support for children orphaned during the Covid-19 pandemic. 
• Policy Reforms and Compliance: 
  • Strict guidelines: Policies prohibit practices such as offline contracts, price discovery bids, quantity-based bids, and unnecessary requests for samples during bid evaluations. 
    • All state departments must procure at least 25% of their annual goods and services through GeM, with penalties for non-compliance. 
  • Support for Small Enterprises: Relaxed tender eligibility criteria (e.g., turnover and past performance) create opportunities for micro and small enterprises (MSEs). 
  • Worker Welfare Provisions: Policies mandate minimum wages, Employee Provident Fund (EPF), and Employee State Insurance (ESI) benefits for outsourced employees. 
    • Service providers cannot arbitrarily replace outsourced employees after hiring, ensuring job stability and fairness. 
  • Anti-Collusion Measures: Collusion or bid manipulation incurs severe penalties, with provisions for reporting cases to the GeM team. 
  • Complaint Redressal Mechanism: High-level committees, chaired by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, review compliance-related grievances submitted via dedicated emails. 
• Alignment with National Initiatives: 
  • GeM adoption promotes the vision of "Digital India" by enhancing transparency and accountability in governance. 
  • The platform supports local suppliers and fosters fair competition, aligning with the "Make in India" initiative. 

 Government e-Marketplace (GeM) Platform 

• GeM facilitates online procurement of common use Goods & Services required by various Government Departments / Organisations / PSUs. 
  • The initiative was launched in August 2016, by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. 
  • The current version of GeM, i.e., GeM 3.0 was launched on January 26, 2018. 
• It provides the tools of e-bidding, reverse e-auction and demand aggregation to facilitate the government users, achieve the best value for their money and aims to enhance transparency, efficiency and speed in public procurement. 

Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Dispute

Why in News? 

A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna is set to hear the case on Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute in Mathura.  

• It is among the oldest temple-mosque conflicts in India, with Hindus seeking to reclaim places of worship they allege were converted into mosques during invasions by Muslim rulers. 

 Key Points 

• Background of the Dispute: 
  • Mathura, considered the birthplace of Lord Krishna, had a temple built in 1618. 
  • The Hindu side alleges that the temple was demolished in 1670 by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb to construct the Shahi Idgah Mosque. 
  • The Hindu side claims the mosque contains Hindu religious symbols and features, including a lotus-shaped pillar and an image of the deity Sheshnag. 
    • Also contends that the mosque was built on a part of the 13.37-acre land belonging to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust and has filed a suit seeking the mosque’s relocation. 
  • The Shahi Idgah Mosque Committee and the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board argue that the mosque does not stand on disputed land. 
• Key Developments: 
  • Court-Monitored Survey: 
    • On 14^th December 2023, the Allahabad High Court ordered a court-monitored survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque. 
    • The court appointed a commissioner to oversee the survey, based on claims that signs of the site’s past as a Hindu temple exist on the mosque premises. 
  • Supreme Court Intervention: 
    • The Committee of Management, Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah, filed a petition challenging the High Court’s order for the survey. 
    • On 16^th January 2024, the Supreme Court stayed the High Court’s order for the survey, citing vagueness in the Hindu side’s application. 
• Arguments: 
  • Hindu Side’s Position: 
    • They demanded that the High Court conduct an original trial, similar to the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case. 
    • The Hindu side has urged the Supreme Court to allow the High Court to determine the modalities for the commission survey. 
  • Mosque Committee’s Position: 
    • The committee argues that the High Court’s order for a survey is invalid as the suit is barred under the Places of Worship Act, 1991 which prevents changes to the character of religious places as of 15th August 1947. 
    • The committee has also challenged the High Court’s 26^th May 2023, order transferring all dispute-related cases from the Mathura court to itself.