Guwahati Municipal Corporation Supports Indigenous Women Vendors with Lease Fee Waiver

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Guwahati

Guwahati, June 5: In a significant initiative to empower indigenous women vendors, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) announced a waiver on lease fees for small enterprises operated by women from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) backgrounds on Thursday.

The program was inaugurated at the well-known Beltola Bazaar and is planned to extend throughout the city.

This initiative aims to provide essential financial support and stability to numerous women who play a crucial role in supporting their families and contributing to the informal economy of the city.

“This is a pivotal move to ensure that our women entrepreneurs, who are essential to our communities, receive the necessary assistance to flourish,” remarked Guwahati Mayor Mrigen Sarania during the launch.

To further assist those vendors who operate outside the designated GMC areas, the corporation will issue identity cards to ST/SC women vendors who wish to maintain their current locations.

“Many of these vendors have established customer bases and prefer not to relocate. Our survey has already identified 90 such vendors who will soon receive their identity cards,” the mayor noted.

The lease fee waiver will also be rolled out in other markets, including Sawkuchi Bazaar and Betkuchi Bazaar, with plans for gradual expansion to additional sites, Sarania stated.

“This is merely the start. We are dedicated to supporting every indigenous ST/SC woman vendor in markets under GMC’s jurisdiction,” Sarania emphasized.

The GMC’s initiative is part of a larger effort to enhance inclusivity and accessibility in urban markets, particularly for marginalized women traders.

This also represents progress in reducing regulatory challenges and fostering equity within Guwahati’s local economy.