The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) organized a Round Table Discussion with Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) on November 5, 2026, at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, to monitor procurement status from SC/ST MSEs under the mandated 4% target of the Public Procurement Policy. The meeting was chaired by Ms. Mercy Epao, Joint Secretary of MSME Ministry, with participation from Shri Ajit Chavan (Additional CEO of GeM), Dr. S.S Acharya (CMD of NSIC), and senior officers from the Ministry, Department of Public Enterprises, and NSIC.
A total of 30 CPSEs participated, including BHEL, BEL, NTPC, AAI, BEML, and Coal India Ltd. The discussion focused on challenges faced by CPSEs, sharing of best practices, and enhancing coordination between National SC-ST Hub (NSSH), GeM, and CPSEs. Ms. Epao highlighted that initiatives under the NSSH Scheme have resulted in a continuous increase in procurement from SC/ST MSEs, with more than 36 times growth in FY 2025-26 compared to the scheme's inception. She introduced the Entrepreneur Awareness & Special Vendor Development Program (EA&SVDP) as a new initiative for creating awareness and networking between SC/ST MSEs and CPSEs, urging CPSEs to formulate internal action plans and provide support in vendor registration, product/service matchmaking, regional connect, and handholding.
Shri Ajit Chavan acknowledged MSME Ministry's contributions and detailed GeM's measures to facilitate SC/ST MSE participation, including dedicated marketplace filters for seller identification. He emphasized engaging sellers from diverse sectors, particularly services and industry verticals, and encouraged CPSEs to utilize GeM's nodal officers for handholding support. The roundtable provided a platform for CPSEs to address gaps and challenges while exploring enhanced collaboration through vendor development programs, capacity-building initiatives, and digital facilitation to strengthen procurement from SC/ST and women-owned MSEs.