Public buying (DGS&D)

NOTE: THIS ORGANIZATION CLOSED IN 2017.

The DGS&D is the purchasing organization of the government of India, which is responsible for the procurement of supplies required by the indenting departments under the government of India, including defence organizations, railways, posts and telegraphs etc. Its services are also utilized by public sector under­takings, as well as other public and quasi-public organizations. The concept of centralized purchasing came into being as an order to avoid wasteful public expenditure and duplicate purchasing as also to effect economy of bulk purchasing.

It has gained considerable acceptance through successive degrees of standardization of procedures, tendering and contracting. DGS&D is accountable to the parliament and it also scrutinizes proposals for the purchases of stores from abroad.

It also inspects stores whose purchases are made directly by government departments, carries out laboratory tests and analysis etc. on their behalf. It also makes arrangements of shipment of stores and clearance of imported goods. It also responsible for the disposals of surplus stocks declared by the government of India and State government.

The DGS&D functions through its headquarters at New Delhi and regional offices at Bombay, Calcutta, Madras and Kanpur. It comprises the following main wings: (a) supply wing (b) inspection wing (c) disposal wing and has other supporting divisions such as management information service, planning and development, coordination and work study unit, training directorate, administration and vigilance directorates, legal and finance wings.

Functions & Responsibilities of DGS&D:

The DGS&D has the following functions & responsibilities:

1. To act as a purchasing and inspection agency economically in advisory capacity on behalf of the various government indentors, who avail themselves of their services on all matters connected with the purchase management and contract administration.
2. To arrange sophisticated laboratory tests/analysis of samples etc. of the stores inspected by them through national test house and other approved laboratory.
3. Preparation of specifications and standardisation of government purchases.
4. Development and utilisation of indigeneous sources of supply to the maximum possible extent.
5. To arrange the disposal of surplus stores to the government departments.
6. To arrange the clearance of stores imported from outside India, both against the orders placed by the DGS&D itself, or by its supply wings in London/Washington. Other government departments, semi-government departments and statutory corporations may also utilise this service against direct orders.
7. To ensure import substitution to the maximum possible extent and also to help the development of indigenous industries in the manufacture of new items.