Assam Plans SHG-First Policy for Guwahati Vending Zones

Assam is drafting a new policy to give women Self Help Groups priority in setting up shops and kiosks in all Guwahati vending zones, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The GMC has been asked to create the framework to empower women and regulate informal vending. Sarma said new vending spaces, including under flyovers and at major institutions, will be offered first to women SHGs. The model may later expand to Dibrugarh and Silchar. The policy aims to replace unregulated vendors and bring order to the city’s congested vending areas.