Krishna Bhattacharjee 
In most villages and small towns of india, cycles are still very widely used . Farmers use them to go to their fields, students ride to school, milkmen deliver milk and small shopkeepers use cycles to carry goods. Even if motorbikes are slowly increasing, cycles are still very important because they are cheap, easy to maintain and do not need petrol or any kind of expense every day.
In every family whether it is in a village or a town, people need utensils every day. From cooking rice and dal to storing water, from serving tea to washing clothes, utensils are part of daily life. In villages , families still prefer strong steel and aluminum items and slowly plastic items are also becoming popular because they are cheap and lightweight.
In every small town and villages in india , you will see children playing with whatever they find sticks, old tires or homemade balls. But when a proper toy shop opens it becomes a favorite place for both children and the parents. A toy shop may sound like a city business but even in rural and semi urban areas, the demand is strong. Families want to buy affordable toys for birthdays, small gifts or to keep their children happy.
In the small towns and villages of india , children go to school every day and college students are also growing in numbers. All of them need pens, notebooks, school bags and registers. farmers and shopkeepers also use registers for daily accounts. This is why a stationery shop with these items can be a very good small business idea for rural youth in Assam, West bengal and other parts of India.
In rural Assam many young people dream of starting their own small businesses instead of depending only on farming. One such story is about Jakir Hussain a 27 year old person from Hailakandi , who turned a simple idea into a growing business opening a footwear shop that sells affordable shoes and provides simple repair services.
Clothes are not just a daily need they are also a part of culture and pride. People wear new clothes during Bihu, Durga Puja, weddings and family gatherings. Children need uniforms for school every year. Women always look for well fitted blouses and salwar suits. Because of these regular needs opening a clothing and tailoring shop in a village or small town in india can be a very reliable business idea.
Ramesh charan pal lived in srikuna a small village near Silchar, Assam. He always noticed how hardworking farmers brought their vegetables to the weekly market but ended up selling them cheaply to middlemen. Farmers often had no choice because they needed cash quickly. At the same time many families with old people in nearby villages and in silchar town wanted fresh vegetables and fruits delivered to their homes but nobody was providing this service.
In every village and small town of india there is a kirana store close by because people need rice, dal, oil, salt, biscuits, soap and other small things for daily life. For these basic needs a grocery shop ( or kirana shop) is always important. Even if a big market is far away, a small kirana ( mudir dukan) shop inside the village makes life easy for everyone.
I have travelled through many villages in assam and West bengal where farmers grow good crops rice, pulses, vegetables, fruits, honey and also make handmade pickles or spices ( mostly by the woman folk at home ) . But most of the time, they sell these products in local markets without any special name, label or packaging.
In Ratabari, a small village near Karimganj ( Sribhumi) in Assam a young man named Arup saw how difficult it was for his grandmother to meet a doctor. She had to travel 25 to 30 km then wait in a long line and spend the whole day just for one simple check up that took may be just 20 mintutes.