Photo Courtesy: nenews
Guwahati: The Assam government is set to begin a large-scale survey of street vendors and roadside businesses in Guwahati starting August 16. Over a three-month period, the initiative aims to assess the socio-economic profile of approximately one lakh small shops, eateries, and roadside traders operating across the city.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the government will gather data on business origins, employment generation, and income levels. The survey will encompass a wide range of establishments, including those located under flyovers, along roadsides, and various vegetable and meat stalls. Some of these businesses reportedly generate significant daily revenue, with certain vendors earning up to Rs 10,000 per day.
Highlighting the scope of the project, Chief Minister Sarma stated, "From August 16, we will begin collecting detailed information on every street vendor. One by one we will take census-type data of every street vendor. The exercise will help us understand the employment opportunities, we, Assamese people have been missing."
Beyond economic data, the government intends to use this exercise to track migration patterns, identifying how many traders originate from different districts in Assam or neighboring states such as Bihar and West Bengal. Sarma noted that the survey will also address concerns regarding hygiene standards in roadside food businesses while clarifying the level of local participation in Guwahati's growing informal economy.
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