2047-ഓടെ വികസിത ഭാരതം ലക്ഷ്യമിട്ട് ഇന്ത്യ 'കെയർ ഇക്കോണമി'ക്ക് രൂപം നൽകുന്നു. നീതി ആയോഗിന്റെ പുതിയ നിർദ്ദേശങ്ങൾ പരിചരണം നൽകുന്നവർക്ക് വലിയ പ്രതീക്ഷ നൽകുന്നുണ്ടെങ്കിലും, കുടുംബാംഗങ്ങളെ പരിപാലിക്കുന്നവരുടെ മാനസികവും ശാരീരികവുമായ ക്ഷേമം ഇപ്പോഴും വലിയൊരു ചോദ്യചിഹ്നമായി തുടരുന്നു. പരിചരണത്തെ ഒരു തൊഴിലായി കാണുമ്പോൾ, പരിചരിക്കുന്നവരുടെ ജീവിതം കൂടി സുരക്ഷിതമാക്കേണ്
India is beginning to imagine what a care economy could look like by 2047. The people who have been providing care for years can help us understand what it will take to build one that works for every family.
NITI Aayog's Reimagining Care: Strategies for Empowering Caregivers in Viksit Bharat@2047 brings caregiving into an important national conversation. Its recommendations include a National Caregiver Council, a National Policy on Caregiving, standardised qualifications, a national caregiver registry, respite services, statutory care leave and counselling support. It also recognises caregiving as a potential source of livelihoods and highlights the participation of persons with disabilities within the purple economy.
Through our work, my colleagues and I have spoken with caregivers across two rural districts of Karnataka, Mysuru and Kalaburagi. These conversations offered a closer look at the realities families navigate, including challenges around time, income, wellbeing, access to support and opportunities for skilling.
A daughter caring for her mother or a husband caring for his wife may not necessarily describe themselves as a caregiver. For many families, caring for a loved one is simply part of their responsibility. Yet this can involve constant supervision, assistance with daily activities, hospital visits, managing medication and considerable emotional labour.
A National Caregiver Registry could help connect families with support, alongside community-based identification through ASHA workers, anganwadi workers, panchayat representatives and other frontline workers.
Recognition should also encompass caregiving for people with mental illness. Supporting someone with a mental health condition can involve sustained supervision, emotional support and assistance with everyday life.
Caregivers often show an openness to training and building the skills needed to take on caregiving roles professionally. Yet one question came up repeatedly: "Who will look after my family member when I am away."
This offers an important opportunity to think of skilling and respite care as complementary parts of the same ecosystem. Day care centres and respite facilities can give caregivers the time and confidence to participate in training and explore paid caregiving opportunities. For rural families, services within or close to communities can make training more accessible.
Practical demonstrations, oral instruction, peer learning and community-based approaches could make training accessible to those with limited formal education. Recognition of prior learning can also acknowledge and build on the considerable knowledge caregivers already possess.
Caregiving can become a meaningful livelihood opportunity, particularly for people seeking locally relevant employment. At the same time, many family caregivers are self-employed, making caregiving responsibilities closely intertwined with working hours and income. Among the caregivers considered here, 13 of 14 were self-employed, highlighting how time spent providing care can directly affect their ability to work and earn.
As caregiving becomes more professionalised, fair wages, social security and safe working conditions will be important to building a dignified profession. Informal caregivers who continue to provide care within their families also need recognition and appropriate support.
Existing networks such as women's self-help groups in Karnataka and Kerala could offer useful pathways for peer support, training and local employment.
One of the strongest insights from our conversations was how rarely caregivers are asked about their own wellbeing. Sustained caregiving can affect physical and emotional wellbeing, making counselling and peer support important.
In rural areas, where access to mental health professionals can be limited, community support groups and accessible phone-based counselling could extend caregiver support beyond formal health facilities.
Awareness will also be important. Deeply held beliefs shape how mental illness is understood and where families seek support, including through religious or faith-based interventions. Social and behaviour change communication can help families understand mental illness, encourage timely treatment and build greater comfort with professional and community-based care.
As India develops a skilled caregiving workforce, there is considerable potential for employment within India and internationally. At the same time, rural communities need stronger public health institutions, rehabilitation services, emergency transport and community-based care, alongside opportunities for trained caregivers to build livelihoods closer to home.
NITI Aayog's report provides an important foundation for imagining caregiving as part of India's development journey towards Viksit Bharat. A strong care economy can recognise the work already happening within families, create dignified livelihood opportunities, make training accessible, strengthen community support and give caregivers the respite and wellbeing support they need.
India has an opportunity to build a care economy that values both the person receiving care and the person providing it. After all, caregivers need care too.