The Government e-Marketplace (GeM), India's central public procurement portal, has unlocked significant value from unused government assets, generating a staggering Rs 2,200 crore over approximately four years. This revenue comes from the transparent online disposal of items ranging from scrap and e-waste to old vehicles and leasehold properties, marking a major shift from a fragmented, paper-based system to a streamlined digital process.
How GeM's Forward Auction Module Drives Value
While GeM is widely known for government purchases, its Forward Auction module has become a powerhouse for asset sales. This digital platform allows ministries, departments, and public sector units to sell assets through competitive online bidding. The process is simple: the government lists an item, registered bidders compete by placing offers, and the highest bid wins. This mechanism ensures improved transparency, efficiency, and better value discovery compared to traditional methods.
According to an official statement from the Commerce Ministry, the platform's impact is substantial. Between December 2021 and November 2025, the Forward Auction module facilitated over 13,000 auctions. It successfully onboarded more than 23,000 registered bidders and saw participation from over 17,000 auctioneers. These figures confirm that forward auctions are now a mainstream, nationwide digital mechanism for government asset disposal, not just a pilot project.
Real-World Success Stories and Secure Operations
The platform's success is highlighted by specific, high-value transactions. In one notable example, the State Bank of India auctioned 100 EWS (Economically Weaker Section) flats in Lucknow via GeM, realizing Rs 34.53 crore. Other significant auctions include the sale of unusable articles by the National Zoological Park in Delhi and the disposal of screened gypsum worth Rs 3.35 crore by FCI Aravali Gypsum and Minerals India.
GeM's secure digital interface empowers government departments with real-time control. Sellers can set reserve prices, define specific conditions for participation, and monitor the bidding process as it happens. This end-to-end digital lifecycle minimizes human intervention and maximizes both accountability and returns for the public exchequer.
A Digital Leap for Governance and Asset Management
The Rs 2,200 crore milestone underscores a significant transformation in how the Indian government manages its asset lifecycle. The shift to a digital, competitive bidding process on a unified platform like GeM tackles longstanding issues of opacity and inefficiency. It opens the market to a wider pool of buyers, ensures fair market price discovery, and contributes to a circular economy by responsibly channeling scrap, e-waste, and used materials.
This initiative aligns with the broader Digital India mission, demonstrating how technology can reform core governance functions. By turning idle or end-of-life assets into revenue streams, the government is not only optimizing resources but also setting a new standard for transparency in public financial management.
