Jaipur: The Rajasthan government will now prioritize Make in India products in government procurement, supply, and tenders. The state government has asked all the departments to set tender conditions in a manner that benefits local suppliers and domestic companies. Violation of this will result in action against guilty officers. The government order issued regarding this states that tenders issued by government departments must include conditions related to the company’s or firm’s turnover, work experience, production, and financial capacity in a manner that does not unnecessarily exclude local companies. Mentioning foreign certifications, inappropriate technical specifications, brands, or models in tender documents will be considered restrictive and discriminatory against local companies. “ In case tender conditions discriminate against or restrict local companies and suppliers, departmental action will be taken against the guilty officers. All departments will have to strictly adhere to this provision,” said the order. This provision is likely to impact major government projects, as a number of foreign companies participate in tenders for such projects.
Items with a minimum of 50% local content will be considered Made in India and the participating firms will be required to provide a self-declaration stating that its products are Made in India. This self-declaration will be verified by the concerned company. In case the declaration is found to be false, the firm will be blacklisted for two years.