New Delhi, Sept. 10 -- A small number of districts account for a surprisingly large share of India's informal or unincorporated economy. According to the National Statistics Office's (NSO) first district-level estimates, the top 50 contribute nearly a third of its establishments, workers and gross value added (GVA). The data gives policymakers a clearer picture of where economic activity is concentrated, and where it is falling behind.

The estimates cover 757 of the 770 districts. This survey for 2025 said it covered the entire geographical area of India, except some villages in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands that are difficult to access.

The findings, released on Thursday, are based on the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterpri...