Budget 2026-27's Care Ecosystem Initiative: Addressing the Paradox of 'Volunteer' Care Workers

The Hindu - Opinion · 6 Mar 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Government schemes Mains · GS2 Governance High relevance

The Union Budget 2026-27 proposes training 1.5 lakh multiskilled caregivers under NSQF, while overlooking the formal recognition and fair compensation for existing ASHA and Anganwadi workers who form the backbone of India's care economy.

Key points

Budget Proposal: The Union Budget 2026-27 aims to build a 'strong care ecosystem' by training 1.5 lakh multiskilled caregivers in geriatric, core care, and allied skills through NSQF-aligned programmes.

Existing Workforce: Over five million women, including ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, and mid-day meal workers, deliver essential public services but remain classified as 'volunteers' without formal contracts or benefits.

Structural Issues: The care economy relies on a feminized labor force, with women spending 140 minutes daily on caregiving compared to 74 minutes by men, as per the 2024 Time Use Survey.

Judicial Context: The Supreme Court's 2025 ruling in Dharam Singh & Anr. vs State of U.P. & Anr. stated that recurrent and central work cannot be treated as temporary indefinitely, providing a legal basis for formalizing these roles.

Economic Impact: The care sector's informal nature traps workers in low-paying, insecure jobs, exacerbating gender inequality and limiting economic growth potential.

Policy Gap: While the Budget focuses on skilling new caregivers, it lacks measures to integrate existing workers into formal employment frameworks with fair wages and benefits.

[GS2-Governance] The state's reliance on informal care workers highlights governance challenges in implementing welfare schemes effectively and equitably.

Way Forward: India should formalize ASHA and Anganwadi workers' roles, extend NSQF-aligned training to them, and implement the ILO's 5R Framework for Decent Care Work to ensure fair compensation and representation.

Key terms

ASHA Workers

Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) are community health workers under the National Health Mission, tasked with facilitating healthcare access in rural areas. Their role is critical for maternal and child health but remains undervalued and underpaid.

Anganwadi Workers

Anganwadi workers are frontline workers under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, providing nutrition, preschool education, and health services. Despite their essential role, they receive minimal honorariums and lack job security.

NSQF

The National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) is a competency-based framework that organizes qualifications according to levels of skills and knowledge. It aims to standardize skill development and improve employability across sectors.

ILO's 5R Framework

The International Labour Organization's 5R Framework for Decent Care Work emphasizes Recognition, Reduction, Redistribution, Reward, and Representation of care work. It advocates for fair wages, better working conditions, and policy inclusion for care workers.