New Delhi, March 8 : The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship will host a 'breakout session' on strengthening Indiaâ??s care ecosystem as part of the Postâ??Budget Webinar series, an official statement said on Sunday.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said the session will focus on developing 1.5 lakh "multiskilled caregivers" capable of meeting Indiaâ??s increasing domestic needs while also tapping into emerging global opportunities in the care economy.

The Webinar is expected to serve as a collaborative platform for all stakeholders to deliberate on implementation strategies for vision outlined in the Budget Speech 2026â??27

Budget Speech 2026â??27 mentioned a â??strong Care Ecosystem to be built covering geriatric and allied care services."

"A variety of NSQFâ??aligned programmes will be developed to train multiskilled caregivers combining core care and allied skills, such as, wellness, yoga and operation of medical and assistive devices. In the coming year, 1.5 lakh caregivers will be trained," the finance minister had said.

The Union Budget 2026â??27 has announced a significant push to strengthen the care ecosystem by introducing NSQF-aligned training programmes that combine core caregiving competencies with allied skills, including wellness support, yoga, and the operation of medical and assistive devices.

The webinar will convene healthcare experts, state governments, international organisations and academia to discuss standardising caregiver qualifications, enhancing trainer capacity, infrastructure and expanding apprenticeship opportunities, the statement said. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship also highlighted plans to facilitate workforce mobility for caregivers by aligning skilling standards with global benchmarks.

Indiaâ??s skilling ecosystem - supported by institutions such as the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)/National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and others are being strengthened to meet these evolving workforce requirements.

Thousands of candidates have already been trained in caregiving-related roles such as Geriatric Caregiver, Home Health Aide and General Duty Assistant, creating the foundation for a structured care workforce, it added.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will lead the full-day webinar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the postâ??Budget webinar on March 9, 2026.

/IANS