To solve the challenge of providing essential goods to the Indian citizens during the COVID-19 situation, the Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT) along with the Confederation of All India Traders is synergizing the efforts of various companies and startups working in the supply chain to help the local Kirana stores take orders online and ensure last-mile contactless delivery through a national e-commerce marketplace to be launched shortly and will strengthen the supply chain. Beside DPIIT & CAIT, the other promotors are Startup India, Invest India, All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation & Avana Capital. This vast purely Indian e-commerce portal will make all efforts to onboard about 7 crore traders of the Country. Manufacturers, Distributors, Wholesalers, Retailers of all verticals of domestic trade, and consumers will be an integral part of this e-commerce platform.
There is a mandate from the Government to ensure an adequate supply of essential goods to consumers during the lockdown period due to the COVID-19 situation. The Government has also instructed pharmacy and grocery stores to remain open through the lockdown period and to provide home delivery of essential food supplies and medicines. With the current crisis, the population in Tier 2 and 3 cities of India that were highly dependent on these Kirana stores for their daily supplies are now facing challenges and to overcome this situation, the national e-commerce market place has been perceived by both DPIIT & CAIT not restricted to present crisis but a permanent e-commerce platform for digitalizing existing business of entire trading community of India.
The start-up India under DPIIT on its portal has invited applications from startups & aspiring entrepreneurs having a fitting technology-enabled solution to any of about 54 different verticals at present. The desirous persons can send their proposals @ekiranasupply@gmail.com and can also contact at a Toll-Free number 1800115565 from 10 am to 5.30 pm. However, the e-commerce portal will be enlarged to all items being traded under the domestic trade of India.
CAIT Secretary General Mr. Praveen Khandelwal said that the e-commerce national market place has already been conceived and designed and has played a crucial role in ensuring supply of essential goods in different cities under present COVID-19 crisis. He further said that the e-commerce marketplace will be of the traders, by the traders & for the traders and consumers of the Country. The portal will invariably comply with all laws, rules & regulations of the Government and Indian being the Country of 130 crore people will have a robust e-commerce portal duly embedded with the latest modern technology and will ensure an easy and trustworthy platform for providing goods to the citizens.
Mr. Khandelwal said that it is one of the concrete initiatives further to accomplish the vision of ” Digital India & Digital Payments” of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi through which the traditional retailers of the Country will be aligned with e-commerce & Digital payments.
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