Chandigarh, Mar 10: The Post-Budget Webinar 2026 on the theme “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas – Fulfilling Aspirations of People” was organised under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, multilateral institutions, and private organisations to deliberate on the effective implementation of key announcements made in the Union Budget 2026–27. The webinar forms part of the Government’s annual post-Budget consultation process aimed at translating policy announcements into actionable implementation frameworks.
Addressing the gathering, the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised that the Union Budget lays out a roadmap for building a future-ready workforce and strengthening human capital for a Viksit Bharat. He highlighted the importance of scalable models, innovation-driven growth, and stronger linkages between education, skilling, and the real economy to support India’s long-term development goals.
Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, also participated in the inaugural session. In his concluding remarks, he highlighted the growing significance of the care economy in India’s development journey.
“The care economy represents both a social priority and an economic opportunity for India. Through the Budget announcement to train 1.5 lakh multiskilled caregivers, we are building a professional ecosystem that integrates healthcare, wellness, and assistive technologies while creating dignified employment opportunities, particularly for women. Recognising language as a skill and strengthening global mobility pathways will further enhance employability in international markets,” he said.
As part of the Post-Budget Webinar, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) led a dedicated breakout session on the sub-theme “Strengthening India’s Care Ecosystem: Skilling 1.5 Lakh Multiskilled Caregivers”, conducted in blended mode with participation from stakeholders across sectors.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE, emphasised the need for building a robust and quality-driven training ecosystem to support the emerging care economy. She noted that the focus is on developing structured training frameworks to prepare multiskilled caregivers capable of meeting evolving healthcare and care-related demands, while also ensuring dignity, recognition, and credible career pathways through professional training and standardised certification.
Ms. Manisha Sensarma, Senior Economic Adviser at MSDE, outlined the strategic vision behind the Budget announcement to train 1.5 lakh multiskilled caregivers. She highlighted that the initiative aims to address rising domestic demand driven by an ageing population as well as global shortages of care and allied healthcare professionals. The programme also seeks to transition the informal workforce into a structured National Caregiver Ecosystem by integrating healthcare skills with wellness practices and expanding training opportunities.
The breakout session brought together an eminent panel of national and international stakeholders, including Prashant Pise, Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, Jagadish Chelani, Mia Oka, Bharath Visweswaraya, Giorgia Varisco, S P Singh, Srinivasa Rao Pulijala, K Ganesh, Sandeep Kumar, Karthik N, Sumitra Mishra, Rajit Mehta, Alexander Thomas, and Sunil Kumar M M, among others.
Key action points emerging from the deliberations included the development of a structured caregiver career pathway supported by standardised training curricula and multi-skilling modules. Participants also emphasised the importance of training-of-trainers programmes to ensure the availability of qualified instructors, and the use of apprenticeship models to provide hands-on training through hospitals, healthcare providers, and allied institutions.
Additional recommendations included collaboration with State and Union Territory governments to leverage Skill India International Centres (SIICs) to support international mobility of care professionals, building a network of credible training infrastructure through ITIs, healthcare providers, and training institutions, and integrating skilled caregiver profiles on the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) to enhance transparency and accessibility.
The Post-Budget Webinar witnessed wide participation from stakeholders across India through both physical and virtual modes. Attendees included representatives from States and Union Territories, the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), Directorate General of Training (DGT), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Sector Skill Councils, awarding bodies, assessment agencies, industry partners, and training institutions.
The discussions reinforced the Government’s commitment to strengthening India’s care ecosystem, enhancing workforce skills, and positioning the country as a global hub for skilled caregiving professionals.
