PIB Summary- 15th September, 2023 - UPSC PDF Download

Skill India Digital (SID) Platform

Context
The Ministry of Skill Development recently launched the Skill India Digital (SID) platform.

Skill India Digital (SID) Platform

• Purpose: SID serves as India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for skill development, education, employment, and entrepreneurship.
• Objective: It aims to consolidate various skilling initiatives, offering skill development and entrepreneurial support to individuals.
• Development: Developed by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in collaboration with industry partners, part of the World Bank-assisted Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) program.
• Alignment: The platform aligns with the G20 framework for building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and supports the digital economy.

Features

• Offers 264+ skilling courses from 42,623 centers across India.
• Available for download on App Store and Google Play Store.
• Supports multiple Indian languages and uses Aadhaar-based eKYC for secure access.
• User-friendly interface adaptable to various devices.
• Utilizes Aadhar-enabled facial recognition, AI, and machine learning to recommend customized courses.
• Integrates government training programs at both Central and State levels.
• Introduces Digitally Verified Credentials (DVCs) for secure skills and qualification presentation.
• Provides Digital CVs with personalized QR Codes for easy access to individual skills and experiences.

Government e-Marketplace

Context
Ministry of Defence leads as top procurer on Government e-Marketplace (GeM); Contributes 16 percent of the overall Gross Merchandise Value.

About Government e-Marketplace (GeM)

• The Government e Marketplace (GeM) was launched on August 9, 2016.
• To create an open and transparent procurement platform for Government buyers.
• A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) by the name of Government e- Marketplace (GeM SPV) was set up as the National Public Procurement Portal
• It has been developed by Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (Ministry of Commerce and Industry) with technical support of National e-governance Division (Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology).
• It is a completely paperless, cashless and system driven e-market place that enables procurement of common use goods and services with minimal human interface.
•  At present, the platform is open for procurement by all government buyers: central and state ministries, departments, public sector enterprises, autonomous institutions, local bodies, etc.
• As per existing mandate, GeM is not available for use by private sector buyers.
• Suppliers (sellers) can be from across all segments: government or private.

The following are the objectives of the online platform

• Easier availability of various goods and services for the government buyers.
• Create transparency in public procurement.
• Cost saving on government expenditure.
• Achieve and promote cashless transactions.