Shillong, Oct 5 (IANS) East Khasi Hills has emerged as Meghalaya’s largest hub for unincorporated businesses, with more than 68,000 establishments and nearly 1.47 lakh workers, according to the latest Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) 2025 released by the National Statistics Office (NSO), officials said on Monday.
The district has an estimated 68,038 unincorporated establishments employing 1,46,863 people, according to the ASUSE 2025, putting it well ahead of other districts in the state.
A senior official said the ASUSE covers enterprises operating outside the corporate sector in manufacturing, trade and selected services, including proprietorships, partnerships, self-help groups, cooperatives and other establishments not incorporated under the Companies Act.
The district-level estimates show Meghalaya’s small-enterprise economy, which supports employment and activity beyond the formal corporate sector.
West Garo Hills, with 28,087 establishments, and West Jaintia Hills, with 28,071, are the next biggest hubs, followed by Ri-Bhoi with 22,881 establishments.
Together, the four districts account for more than half of the state’s estimated unincorporated establishments, according to the survey.
The survey found that the top 10 districts account for around 88 per cent of Meghalaya’s unincorporated establishments.
The survey also highlights strong participation of women in Meghalaya’s unincorporated economy.
In Eastern West Khasi Hills, women constitute 61.52 per cent of workers, while they own around 58.62 per cent of proprietary establishments. The district has an estimated 13,933 establishments employing 19,467 people.
East Khasi Hills also records significant female participation, with women accounting for 44.76 per cent of workers and owning 50.95 per cent of proprietary establishments.
Women account for 55.52 per cent of workers in Ri-Bhoi and 56.80 per cent in South West Khasi Hills, reflecting their substantial contribution to local enterprise and employment.
The state capital district also records the highest share of establishments dependent on hired workers, according to the survey.
Around 35.92 per cent of establishments in East Khasi Hills fall into the hired-worker category.
The district records an estimated gross value added (GVA) of Rs 3.17 lakh per establishment, while GVA per worker stands at around Rs 1.49 lakh.
Ri-Bhoi follows with GVA of Rs 2.44 lakh per establishment and Rs 1.47 lakh per worker.
The survey also shows that the unincorporated sector has a wide geographical footprint.
West Khasi Hills has 19,075 establishments, Eastern West Khasi Hills 13,933, South West Garo Hills 13,173, East Garo Hills 10,526 and North Garo Hills 10,302.
East Jaintia Hills has 9,562 establishments, while South West Khasi Hills has 5,961.
The NSO conducted the survey across rural and urban areas during January-December 2025, making it a comprehensive exercise to estimate the size, employment and economic contribution of Meghalaya’s unincorporated sector at the district level.
The NSO, however, has cautioned that district-level estimates are subject to sampling variability.
Financial indicators, in particular, should not be interpreted as straightforward rankings because differences may also reflect local economic structures and industry clusters, the NSO said.
The findings underscore the importance of Meghalaya’s small shops, workshops, trading units, service businesses and other enterprises in sustaining livelihoods and driving activity outside the organised corporate sector.
–IANS
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