NPPP To Help In Achieving The Socio-Economic Objectives

By 121 News Reporter

Chandigarh 11^th September:- Sharing that the size of the public procurement market in India being approximately 29% of its gross domestic product, which is almost U$$ 300 billion annually, and with no central law or policy to govern this market, Archana Jatkar, Head, Center for International Trade, Economics and Environment, CUTs International said, that it is important to have a National Public Procurement Policy, NPPP in place to make the procurement process predictable, transparent, consistent accountable and competitive. Archana Jatkar was speaking during the Stakeholders Consultation Meeting on- Public Procurement - Need for a National Policy in India, organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry in association with CUTS International (Consumer Unity and Trust Society), and British High Commission at PHD House, here today.

She informed that a Public Procurement Bill was tabled in the lower house of Parliament, which lapsed with dissolution of the House of General Election. The consultation meet was organized to increase the level of awareness among the relevant stakeholder groups about the benefits which can be obtained through judicious use of public expenditure and the use of public procurement as a socio economic development tool. Stating that each department follows multiple guidelines coupled with their own for procurement though necessarily guided by General Financial Rules (GFR) leading in a failure of the institutional framework to provide transparency, accountability, efficiency, competition and professionalism, Archana Jatkar said, that it becomes all the more important to have a NPPP in place for judicious use of public expenditure, leading to achievement of socio-economic development goals, enhancing participation of SMEs, besides moving to green procurement and sustainable procurement.

Advocating the need for a NPPP in place, Dalip Sharma, Director, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry,said, that any Procurement Policy coming up should be coherent with other macroeconomic policies like manufacturing policy, sustainable procurement and Trade Policy. Dalip Sharma added that procurement process in India should aim at stimulating local manufacturing capacities and employment, promote competition in the marketplace, adhere to good fiscal practices and promote sustainable production and consumption practices.

 Stressing on the need for a strong NPPP, Kumar Rahul, General Manager, Food Corporation of India, FCI, said, that lack of a procurement policy has left the government offices bereft of good procurement decisions. Many important purchases are not made because of fear of wrongful purchase. Rahul Further said that it shall not only help in right procurement but would further the curbing of corruption at all levels of procurement process.