Which ministry has recently released guidelines delineating the use of arbitration and mediation in domestic public procurement contracts?

The Ministry of Finance issued guidelines for arbitration and mediation in domestic public procurement contracts to streamline dispute resolution for government entities. Key points include avoiding automatic arbitration in large contracts, restricting arbitration to disputes under Rs. 10 crores, preferring institutional arbitration, and adopting mediation for high-value matters. Arbitration is a quasi-judicial ADR process governed by the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, and mediation follows the Mediation Act, 2023.