Banks Khwairamband Market III

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E-Pao! Education - Khwairamband Women Market

An Exploratory Study Of
Khwairamband Women Market In Manipur
– Highlights The Business Opportunities For Banks -
Part III

By: Thingbaijam Michael Khumancha *

The name of market segments; the number of shops and traders/entrepreneurs in each segment and the community/communities present predominantly in a market segment can be seen from the following table.

Table 1
Name of the Market Segments, Number of Traders/Shops in each Market and Community

Name of Markets	Number of shops (approximate)	No. of traders (approximate)	Communities in Markets
Nupi Keithel	75	1125	Meitei, Muslim.
Laxmi Keithel	45	700	Meitei
Nupa keithel	30	150	Meitei, Muslims
Linthoingambi Keithel	100	800	Meitei
Yenyonfam Keithel	Nil	150	Muslims only
Imoinu Keithel	60	75	Meitei, Bengali, Muslims and Bihari
Punshi Keithel	60	90	Meitei, Muslim and Naga
Nagamapal Keithel	Nil	800	Meitei, Naga and Kuki
Total	370	3890	-

It may be observed that there are around 370 shops and around 4000 traders/entrepreneurs in the eight segments of the Khwairamband market. Meitei women dominate Laxmi Keithel and Linthoingambi Keithel, while Muslim women dominate Yenyonfam Keithel.

In the Punshi Keithel there are Naga women also. In the Nagamapal Keithel, there are Kuki as well as Naga women also. In the Imoinu Keithel there are also Bihari and Bengali traders.

5. Municipality Taxes

The women traders are to pay two types of taxes to the Imphal Municipality: general tax and road tax. The rates are flat rates for all traders irrespective of their earning.

The rate of general tax at the time of study was Rs. 30 per trader per month and the rate of road tax was Rs. 50 per trader per month. Road tax is imposed on those vendors who keep their goods on roads.

A collector visits the vendors and collects the taxes regularly. In the Nupi Keithel, Linthoingambi Keithel, Yenyonfam Keithel, Imoinu Keithel each vendor is to pay a tax of Rs 30 per month. However, in the Nupi Keithel the fish vendor is to pay an extra charge of Rs 50 as road tax.

There is no road taxation in Laxmi bazaar, Linthoingambi Keithel., Yenyonfam Keithel, Nagamapal Keithel and Imoinu Keithel. The Municipality has not imposed any tax in the Nupa market. The vendors themselves own almost all the vendor area. Some vendors also stay as tenant.

6. Earnings of Women Traders/Entrepreneurs

In the Nupi market, on an average vegetable vendor earns in the range of Rs 50 to Rs. 200 per day, depending on the season. But the fish vendors earn more than the other vendors. They earn in the range of Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 per day during the festive seasons, like Ningol Chakkouba i.e, in the month of November.

In the Nagamapal market on an average cloth vendor earns in the range of Rs 50 to 200 depending on the season. The maximum profits are made during the festive seasons like Ningol Chakkouba, Cheiraoba and Yaosang festivals.

In the Laxmi market on an average each cloth vendor earns in the range of Rs 50 to 500 per day, depending on the season and luck. The maximum profits are made during the festive seasons like Ningol Chak kouba , Cheiraoba ( new year festival) and Yaosang (Holi) festivals.

On an average the Nupa Keithel vendor earns in the range of Rs 50 to 500 depending on the season. The maximum profits are made during the festive seasons like Ningol Chak kouba, Cheiraoba, Yaosang festivals and Lai harouba festival..

In Linthoingambi Keithel, on an average cloth vendor earns in the range of Rs 50 to 500 depending on the season. The maximum profits are made during the festive seasons like Ningol Chak kouba , Cheiraoba and Yaosang festivals.

In Yenyonfam Keithel on an average vendor earns in the range of Rs 200 to 500 depending on the season. The maximum profits are made during the festive seasons like Ningol Chak kouba, Yaosang and Id festivals. In weakly basis on Saturday – Sunday more profits are made by these vendor.

In Imoinu bazaar on an average vendor earns in the range of Rs 100 to 500 depending on the season. The maximum profits are made during the festive seasons like Ningol Chak kouba , Cheiraoba and Yaosang festivals.

7. Middlemen

In all the segments of the Khwairamband market middlemen operate. In the Nupi market there is system in which a sensaanbi (money lender) lends out, say Rs. 100/- to a vendor and collects daily an interest of Rs. 10/- on Rs. 100, that is, 10 per cent interest.

The interest is collected till the capital is fully repaid. This system is purely in the favor of the sensaanbi.

Most of the vendors stated during field study that this system of money transaction was done either among the vendors or any local woman could act as a sensaanbi.

Apart from the sensaanbi, vendors take money from local banks or moneylenders at 6 per cent interest per month. In such money transactions there is no written document. Every transaction is done on verbal agreement.

Thingbaijam Michael Khumancha

* Thingbaijam Michael Khumancha (Meiraba) prepared this report and was approved by Dr D. D. Mali, Former Director, Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, Guwahati , India.
You can contact Meiraba at khumancham(at)rediffmail(dot)com .
This article was webcasted on March 13th, 2007.

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