Care Economy in India: Caregiving, Women’s Empowerment & Viksit Bharat

8 Aug 2026

GS II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context: Recently, the NITI Aayog has released the report “Reimagining Care: Strategies for Empowering Caregivers in Viksit Bharat@2047”.

About Care Economy

Definition: Paid and unpaid activities providing physical, emotional, psychological and social support to dependent individuals.
Drivers: Ageing, rising life expectancy, urbanisation, changing family structures and rising female workforce participation.

Care Economy: Focuses on care and support services for children, elderly, persons with disabilities and other dependents.
Silver Economy: Focuses on products and services for the ageing population, such as senior living and geriatric care.
Purple Economy: Integrates culture, creativity and heritage into economic development.

Inclusive Growth: Ensures quality care for vulnerable and dependent groups.
Demographic Preparedness: Nearly one in five Indians may be aged 60+ by 2050.
Employment Generation: Creates formal employment, particularly for women and youth.
Human Capital: Better care improves health, nutrition, education and productivity.

Informalisation: Care work remains largely unpaid and women-dominated.
Skill Gaps: Limited professional training and certification.
Low Recognition: Care work has inadequate economic and social recognition.
Institutional Fragmentation: Responsibilities are spread across multiple ministries.
Infrastructure Deficit: Shortages of eldercare, childcare and rehabilitation facilities.

National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly: Comprehensive geriatric healthcare.
Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007: Protection and welfare of elderly persons.
Mission Shakti: Women’s empowerment and support services.
National Education Policy, 2020: Vocational education and skill development.
SHATAYU: Digital monitoring of geriatric healthcare.
JEEVAN: Community-level elderly health assessment and referral.
Certificate Course in Caregiving: Develops trained caregivers for persons with disabilities.

International Labour Organization 5R Framework: Recognise, Reduce, Redistribute, Reward and Represent care work.
United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing: Promotes integrated long-term care.
World Health Organization Framework: Supports integrated, people-centred care.
UN Women: Advocates greater investment in the care economy.

National Care Economy Framework: Integrate health, labour, social justice, women and child development and skilling.
Professionalise Workforce: Expand training, certification and career progression.
Social Protection: Ensure fair wages, insurance and social security.
Care Infrastructure: Promote investment in home-based and institutional care.
Technology: Leverage tele-care, assistive technologies and artificial intelligence.
Recognise Unpaid Care: Incorporate Time Use Survey data into policymaking.