Current Affairs: Passage of the Day - 27 February 2025 | Current Affairs & General Knowledge - CLAT PDF Download

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Government e Marketplace (GeM) commemorated six years of Startups, Women & Youth Advantage through eTransactions (SWAYATT) initiative at its New Delhi headquarter (HQ) on 19 February 2025. Launched on 19^th February, 2019, SWAYATT was conceptualised with a clear objective of invigorating participation of women-led enterprises and youth in public procurement.
Rooted in GeM’s foundational pillar of social inclusion, SWAYATT is portal’s commitment to enhance ease of doing business and establish direct market linkages to annual public procurement for startups, women entrepreneurs, Micro & Small Enterprises (MSEs), Self Help Groups (SHGs) and youth, especially those from backward sections of the society. Since inception, the initiative is focused at facilitating the training and onboarding of last-mile sellers, developing women entrepreneurship and encouraging participation and small-scale businesses in government procurement.
On the occasion, GeM signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) Ladies Organisation (FICCI-FLO) – an all-India forum representing over 9,500 women entrepreneurs. By means of this partnership, GeM intends to provide direct access for women entrepreneurs with government buyers, sans intermediaries, thereby ensuring better product prices, spurring hyper-local job creation and igniting inclusive growth. By extending adequate means of training, onboarding and linkages, this collaboration is set to empower local businesses, create inclusive economic growth, enhance competition and boost value addition in public spending.
“At the time of launch of SWAYATT, only about 6300 women-led enterprises and almost 3400 startups were onboarded on GeM. Since then, the platform has grown manifold,” informed Shri L Satya Srivinas, CEO, GeM.
“Addressing the challenges of “access to market”, “access to finance” and “access to value-addition” through proper e-market linkages in public procurement, GeM has enabled startups to fulfil orders worth ₹ 35,950 Crore. Women entrepreneurs comprise 8% of the total seller base on GeM, with cumulative 1,77,786 Udyam-verified women micro, and small enterprises (MSE) registered on the GeM portal, having fulfilled a cumulative order value of ₹46,615 Crore,” added Shri Srinivas.
Speaking on the occasion, Smt Joyashree Das Verma, President, FICCI – FLO, highlighted how digital platforms like GeM have democratised access to opportunities for women entrepreneurs. Reiterating the importance of this collaboration towards value chain development and enhanced opportunities to women-led MSEs through advocacy, outreach and mobilisation, she stressed upon training as an imperative in expanding the reach of GeM portal among affiliated members of the association. 
Conceptualised as a foundational initiative, SWAYATT today comprises “Startup Runway” and “Womaniya” storefronts for dedicated listings, ensuring wider visibility of startups, women entrepreneurs and youth among lakhs of pan-India government buyers. By dismantling entry barriers, GeM is empowering more than 29,000 startups with business opportunities on the GeM platform.
With an ambitious goal of onboarding 1 Lakh  Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade registered startups onto the portal, GeM is determined to become a vibrant startup ecosystem in public procurement. Through meaningful collaborations and capacity-building efforts with last-mile women micro and small enterprises (MSEs), FPOs, SHGs, Startups, and Cooperatives, GeM envisions doubling the number of women entrepreneurs on the portal and increasing their share percentage in overall procurement of the country from the current 3.78%.
​[Excerpt from PIB "Six Years of SWAYATT Initiative" Dated 27/02/25]

Q1: When was the SWAYATT initiative launched?
(a) 2015
(b) 2017
(c) 2019
(d) 2021

View Answer  

Ans: (c) 2019
Sol: The SWAYATT initiative was launched in 2019 to boost participation of women and youth in public procurement.

Q2: What is the primary objective of SWAYATT?
(a) To provide subsidies for large businesses
(b) To increase the participation of women and youth in public procurement
(c) To regulate import and export policies
(d) To privatize government procurement

View Answer  

Ans: (b) To increase the participation of women and youth in public procurement
Sol: SWAYATT focuses on social inclusion by promoting women-led enterprises and startups in government procurement.

Q3: Which government platform implements the SWAYATT initiative?
(a) Startup India
(b) Government e Marketplace (GeM)
(c) Digital India Portal
(d) Make in India Program

View Answer  

Ans: (b) Government e Marketplace (GeM)
Sol: SWAYATT is an initiative under GeM to enhance the participation of small enterprises in public procurement.

Q4: What recent partnership was signed to promote women entrepreneurs under SWAYATT?
(a) MoU with NITI Aayog
(b) MoU with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry Ladies Organisation (FICCI-FLO)
(c) MoU with Ministry of Finance
(d) MoU with World Trade Organization

View Answer  

Ans: (b) MoU with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry Ladies Organisation (FICCI-FLO)
Sol: GeM partnered with FICCI-FLO to connect women entrepreneurs directly with government buyers.

Q5: How many Udyam-verified women MSEs have registered under SWAYATT as of now?
(a) 6,300
(b) 3,400
(c) 1,77,786
(d) 50,000

View Answer  

Ans: (c) 1,77,786
Sol: Over 1,77,786 Udyam-verified women MSEs have registered on GeM, significantly increasing their market presence.