Context
- For the first time, the National Statistics Office (NSO) under MoSPI released district-level data for small, informal (unincorporated) non-agricultural businesses. It uses data from the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) 2025 to help design targeted policies at the local district level.
Key Institutional Survey Facts
| Item | Detail |
| Releasing body | National Statistics Office (NSO), under MoSPI (Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation) |
| Survey base | ASUSE 2025 (Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises) |
| Novelty | First-ever district-level estimates from a large-scale nationwide enterprise survey |
| Districts covered | 757 out of 770 districts in the ASUSE 2025 sampling frame |
| Districts excluded | District-level estimates were not generated for Delhi (due to merged sampling strata) or Chandigarh and Lakshadweep (each treated as a single UT-level stratum) |
What ASUSE Covers
- Geographic coverage: Whole of India, rural and urban (except some inaccessible Andaman & Nicobar villages).
- Sectors covered: Manufacturing, Trade, and Other Services (non-agricultural, unincorporated).
- Ownership types covered: Proprietorship, partnership (excluding LLPs), cooperatives, societies/trusts.
- Sampling method: Multi-stage stratified sampling.
- First Stage Units (FSUs): Census villages (rural) / UFS blocks (urban) — exception: rural Kerala uses Panchayat wards as FSUs.
- Ultimate Stage Units (USUs): Establishments.
- Data collection: CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) via tablets; oral enquiry, monthly reference period.
Key Economic Findings
- Geographical Concentration:
- Top 10 Districts: Account for ~10% of all establishments, workforce, and Gross Value Added (GVA). Located across 4 states: Gujarat, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
- Top 50 Districts: Account for nearly one-third (33%) of the sector’s total establishments, workforce, and GVA across 12 states.
- Scale Distribution: ~33% of districts have >1 lakh establishments; 16 districts have >5 lakh establishments (led by West Bengal with 8 districts).
- Productivity Metrics:
- National Benchmark: All-India average GVA per worker is ₹1,56,539.
- High-Productivity Districts: 280 districts surpass the all-India average GVA per worker.
- Women’s Participation & Entrepreneurship:
- Workforce Inclusion: Women constitute at least one-third (33%) of the unincorporated workforce in 237 districts, and >50% in 25 districts.
- Top Female-Led Districts: Concentrated heavily in Telangana, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. In Mizoram, female-owned proprietary units account for at least 50% of establishments across every district.
Strategic State Leaders (Top Contributing District per State)
| State/UT | Top District | % Contribution |
| Maharashtra | Pune | 9.14% |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru (Urban) | 12.83% |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai | 7.13% |
| Telangana | Rangareddy | 23.53% |
| West Bengal | North 24 Parganas | 15.99% |
| Gujarat | Surat | 19.43% |
| Goa | North Goa | 77.66% |
| Puducherry | Puducherry | 76.64% |
| Ladakh | Leh | 59.00% |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 65.48% |
Q. With reference to the district-level estimates of the unincorporated non-agricultural sector (ASUSE 2025) released by NSO, consider the following statements:
1. The top 50 districts account for nearly one-third of the total establishments, workforce, and Gross Value Added (GVA) of India's unincorporated sector.
2. In all districts of Mizoram, female-owned proprietary establishments constitute at least 50% of total establishments.
3. More than half of all surveyed districts in India have recorded a GVA per worker that exceeds the all-India average.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Explanation:
• Statement 1 is correct: The survey highlights high economic concentration, with the top 50 districts capturing nearly one-third of total establishments, workforce, and GVA.
• Statement 2 is correct: In Mizoram, female-owned proprietary units account for at least 50% of establishments in every district of the State.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Out of 757 surveyed districts, 280 districts (around 37%, which is less than half) recorded a GVA per worker exceeding the all-India average of ₹1,56,539.