THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
NEW
DELHI, OCTOBER 26, 2026
The Government
e-Marketplace (GeM) is promoting its ‘AABHAR Collection’, a dedicated digital
storefront featuring 294 product listings from 10 state and central handloom
and handicraft emporiums, to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and
strengthen market access for local artisans, weavers and rural entrepreneurs.
The initiative brings
together a curated range of indigenous products, including handicrafts,
handlooms, artisanal foods, pantry products and personal care items, offering
government buyers distinctive gifting options rooted in India’s regional
traditions and craftsmanship.
The collection
features products associated with the One District, One Product (ODOP)
initiative and Geographical Indication (GI) tags, connecting the country’s
public procurement system with local enterprises and women-led businesses.
The 10 participating
emporiums include COTTAGE of the Central Cottage Industries Emporium, KHADI
INDIA of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Garvi Gurjari from
Gujarat, Himcrafts from Himachal Pradesh, Jharcraft from Jharkhand, Cauvery
from Karnataka, Mrignayani from Madhya Pradesh, Marhati from Maharashtra,
Purbashree from the North East and Poompuhar from Tamil Nadu.
Seven more government
emporiums and organisations are at an advanced stage of completing seller
onboarding, which is expected to expand the collection’s geographical
representation and product diversity. These include the Coffee Board, Manjusha
and Biswa Bangla from West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir Handloom and Handicrafts
Marketing Corporation Ltd, Merakai from Nagaland, Utkalika from Odisha and
Panthoibi from Manipur.
Speaking on the
AABHAR Collection 2026 initiative, GeM Chief Executive Officer Mihir Kumar said
it marked an important milestone in enhancing the visibility of indigenous arts
and crafts, showcasing India’s diverse cultural heritage and empowering
underserved seller groups through central and state handicraft and handloom
emporiums.
GeM Additional Chief
Executive Officer and Social Inclusion in-charge Ajit B Chavan said the
initiative, launched in July 2024, was conceived to provide effective market
linkages to the country’s artisanal ecosystem by integrating it with public
procurement through a dedicated #VocalForLocal storefront.
He said the
collection enables ministries, departments, public sector undertakings and other
government buyers to fulfil their gifting requirements while supporting
indigenous products and sustaining local livelihoods.
The curated offerings
cater to gifting needs at official ceremonies, conferences, state events,
engagements with foreign delegations, employee recognition programmes,
retirement functions and festive occasions.
Government buyers can
access the collection through the GeM portal at https://gem.gov.in/Aabhar, with the initiative seeking to turn
public procurement into a wider avenue for promoting traditional craftsmanship,
regional products and inclusive economic opportunities.
