Government has taken several initiatives to enhance collaboration between small business and e-commerce platforms. Some of the initiatives in this context are as follows:

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue has exempted sellers of specified handicraft goods made by craftsmen from obtaining compulsory registration under GST Act, thus enabling collaboration between small businesses and e-commerce platforms.

Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT) has actively engaged with various large e-commerce platforms to onboard artisans and handicraftsmen, including those engaged in manufacture of Geographical Indication (GI) goods and toys. Further, under the One District – One Product (ODOP) initiative, drives have been conducted across various States, facilitating on-boarding of sellers of identified products on e-Commerce platforms to provide greater visibility for small businesses from rural sector.

Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) has taken multiple initiatives for enhancing participation of small business in e-commerce which include:

• Procurement and Marketing Support (PMS) Scheme: Under this Scheme, the sub- component of “Adoption of e-Commerce by Micro Enterprises” has been introduced. This new component includes providing financial assistance for selling products or services by Micro Enterprises (up to 10 new products) through e-commerce portals.
• Portals of National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC): NSIC is operating MSME  Global Mart portal. This is a non-transactional B2B Portal which facilitates e-  Marketing support to MSME's. The portal provides information of business, technology  and finance and also exhibits the core competence of Indian SMEs.
• E-commerce portal of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC): KVIC has  developed an online portal https://www.kviconline.gov.in for selling Khadi products added by Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, New Delhi.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched an e-market place www.tribesindia.com portal through Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED). It has forged tie ups with various leading e-Commerce platforms and is on-boarding tribal artisans with their products for online sales.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Shri Som Parkash, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

GST registration exemption for specified handicraft sellers promotes e commerce collaboration and eases market access for artisans. Exemption from compulsory GST registration for specified handicraft sellers removes a regulatory barrier and facilitates their participation on e commerce platforms. Administrative measures include onboarding artisans and GI goods onto large e commerce platforms, the One District One Product drives to list rural sellers, financial assistance for micro enterprises to adopt e commerce under a procurement and marketing support scheme, and creation of dedicated e marketplaces and B2B portals to increase visibility for small businesses.