The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the first-ever district-level data on India’s unincorporated non-agricultural sector. This analysis, drawn from the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises 2025, provides detailed economic information about small businesses and self-employed workers across all States and Union Territories, helping policymakers understand regional economic patterns.
What the data shows
The survey covers 757 districts and reveals that the top 50 districts account for nearly one-third of all unincorporated establishments, workers and economic output in this sector. Only 16 districts, concentrated in West Bengal, Maharashtra and Gujarat, have more than 5 lakh unincorporated establishments each. However, roughly one-third of all districts contain more than 1 lakh such establishments.
Productivity varies significantly across regions. In 280 districts, output per worker exceeds the all-India average of Rs. 1,56,539, indicating stronger economic performance in these areas. Meanwhile, 331 districts report output per worker between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 1.5 lakh.
The data highlights regional differences in women’s participation. Women comprise one-third of the workforce in 237 districts. In 25 districts, women make up more than half of all workers in unincorporated enterprises. Female entrepreneurship is particularly strong in Telangana, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram, where women own at least 50 per cent of proprietorship establishments in some districts.
The survey covers Manufacturing, Trade and Other Services sectors across both rural and urban areas. It includes proprietorships, partnerships, cooperatives and similar ownership types. Estimates for Lakshadweep, Chandigarh and Delhi are not presented separately due to their administrative peculiarities.
What this means for you
State and local governments can now use this district-level information to design targeted business support policies and identify where women entrepreneurs need assistance. Business associations and researchers gain access to granular data on where unincorporated enterprises are concentrated and how productive they are. The detailed breakdown helps communities understand their local economic structure compared to national averages.
The full report is available on the Ministry’s website at https://mospi.gov.in.