Why in News?
NITI Aayog released the report "Reimagining Care: Strategies for Empowering Caregivers in Viksit Bharat@2047", proposing a roadmap to build a professional, inclusive, and future-ready caregiving ecosystem.
Key Facts and Data Points
- Elderly Population Growth: Projected to increase from 149 million (2022) to 347 million (20.8%) by 2050
- Disability Burden: 26.8 million Indians live with disabilities
- Family Caregivers: Nearly 10% of India's population serves as family caregivers, mostly untrained and unpaid
- Global Health Worker Shortage: WHO estimates a shortage of nearly 11 million health workers by 2030
- OECD Care Worker Demand: Will require 13.5 million additional care workers by 2040
- Care Economy Size: Accounts for 16% of global employment (WEF 2024); unpaid care work contributes USD 11 trillion annually
- India's Care Services Market: Projected to grow from USD 29.62 billion (2023) to USD 72.31 billion by 2030 (CAGR 13.76%)
- Gender Disparity in Caregiving: 41% women vs 21.4% men participate in caregiving activities (NSO Time Use Survey 2024)
- Time Spent: Women: 140 minutes/day; Men: 74 minutes/day on caregiving
Why Does India Need an Organised Caregiving Ecosystem?
Managing India's Demographic Transition
- Rapid demographic transition with ageing population
- Growing burden of chronic diseases, dementia, and age-related illnesses
- Increasing demand for long-term, geriatric, palliative, and home-based care
- Developing skilled caregiving workforce can address rising care needs while generating employment
Responding to Global Care Deficit
- Ageing populations and workforce shortages globally
- India can leverage this opportunity to become a global hub for skilled caregivers
Promoting Women's Economic Empowerment
- Women bear disproportionate share of unpaid caregiving responsibilities
- Formalising caregiving sector can reduce unpaid burden, generate dignified employment, and enhance female labour force participation
Strengthening Demographic Dividend
- Converting demographic dividend into skilled employment and human capital
- Professional caregiving workforce for domestic needs and overseas employment
Enhancing Global Competitiveness
- Standardise caregiver training and expand Government-to-Government (G2G) mobility pathways
- Boost employment, remittances, and India's global soft power
What is the Care Economy?
Definition: The care economy comprises all paid and unpaid care work and services that support health, well-being, and daily living.
Components:
- Care through households, public/private sectors, MSMEs, non-profit organisations
- Social and solidarity economy
- Involves both care providers and care recipients
Related Concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Silver Economy | Economic activity generated by goods/services for elderly population |
| Purple Economy | Inclusion of PwDs as active economic contributors, including trained caregivers |
Care Economy vs Monetized Economy
| Parameter | Care Economy | Monetized Economy |
|---|---|---|
| Valuation | Largely unpaid, invisible, excluded from GDP | Monetised, formally measured, contributes to GDP |
| Nature of Work | Caregiving and domestic services sustaining well-being | Market-oriented goods and services |
| Workforce | Predominantly women | Diversified workforce |
| Recognition | Unpaid family/moral responsibility | Formal economic activity |
India's Existing Caregiving Landscape
Key Ministries and Departments
| Ministry/Department | Initiative |
|---|---|
| DoSJE | PM Special – Training of Geriatric Caregivers; SHATAYU Dashboard, JEEVAN App |
| DEPwD | Certificate Course in Caregiving (CCCG) through RCI |
| MoHFW | National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE); NIMHANS for geriatric training |
| MSDE | NSQF-based caregiver certification |
| MEA | G2G mobility programmes; Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT) |
State-Level Innovations
- Karnataka: Carer's Monthly Allowance Scheme; SHG support
- Kerala: K4Care, Aswasakiranam, Neighbourhood Network in Palliative Care, Triple Win Programme with Germany
Challenges in India's Caregiving Ecosystem
Regulatory Gaps
- Caregiving not recognised as a regulated profession
- Absence of dedicated legal, accreditation, and quality assurance framework
Unpaid Care Burden
- Family caregiving largely unpaid, undervalued, disproportionately borne by women
- RPwD Act 2016 recognises family caregivers but informal caregiving lacks comprehensive support
- No long-term care financing, insurance mechanisms, or social security benefits
Skill and Workforce Challenges
- Training programmes not aligned with international standards
- Inadequate specialised training in dementia, stroke, palliative care
- High workforce turnover; limited certified caregivers
Infrastructure and Service Delivery
- Respite-care services largely absent
- Formal caregiving inadequate, especially in rural areas
- Low social acceptance of professional caregiving
Technology and Safeguarding
- No standard background verification or grievance redressal mechanisms
- Limited adoption of digital health records, telemedicine, technology-enabled training
NITI Aayog's Proposed Strategies
1. National Policy on Caregiving
- Formulate comprehensive policy to formalise caregiving sector
- Strengthen Centre-State coordination and capacity-building
2. National Caregiver Council (NCC)
- Apex body for regulation, accreditation, certification
- Maintain national caregiver registry
- Grievance redressal and standard-setting
3. Professionalise the Caregiving Workforce
- NSQF-aligned certification
- Standardised curricula
- Specialised cadres for geriatric, palliative, and dementia care
- Integration into education and digital learning platforms
4. Promote Global Caregiver Mobility
- G2G partnerships with Japan, Germany, UK, Australia
- Ethical recruitment, language training, reintegration mechanisms
5. Strengthen Institutional Ecosystem
- Enhance capacities of RCI, NISD, Sector Skill Councils
- National Centre for Ageing and Regional Geriatric Centres
- Standardise caregiver training across institutions
6. Extend Social Security
- Health and accident insurance
- Social security under Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act, 2008
- Promote care entrepreneurship through MUDRA and Startup India
7. Support Family and Community Care
- Strengthen family caregivers, SHGs, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs
- CSR-supported community care initiatives
8. Provide Caregiver Welfare
- Statutory care leave
- Respite-care services
- Workplace sensitisation and counselling support
9. Leverage Technology
- National Digital Caregiver Portal with certified caregiver directory
- Registry, background verification
- Multilingual digital training
- Technology-enabled service delivery
Constitutional and Legal Provisions
- Article 41: Directs State to provide public assistance for old age, sickness, disability, and other vulnerable conditions
- Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016: Recognises family caregivers of persons requiring high support needs
- Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act, 2008: Framework for social security coverage
Global Best Practices
| Country | Practice |
|---|---|
| Japan | Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI); dedicated visa pathways for trained caregivers |
| Australia | National training, certification, digital dementia-care modules |
| China | AI and robotics in elderly care; international standards for elder-care robots |
| Sweden/Denmark | Shared responsibility model (State, families, communities, private sector) |
Conclusion
An organised caregiving ecosystem is not merely a welfare intervention but a strategic investment in human capital, gender equality, and inclusive growth. By professionalising caregiving and strengthening institutional support, India can meet domestic care needs while emerging as a global hub for skilled caregivers, advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.