India is in the throes of economic transformation, with increasing emphasis on manufacturing, services and agriculture sectors. Yet one sector often gets neglected: care economy. Care economy encompasses unpaid or low-paid work done for individuals, families and communities such as childcare, eldercare, healthcare provisioning education cooking cleaning – including domestic work such as cooking cleaning or gardening that supports well being of society as a whole.
Care economies play a pivotal role in society’s development and functioning; they serve as the cornerstone upon which other economic activities rest. Without an efficient care economy in place, individuals cannot fully take part in workforce employment opportunities, children cannot receive appropriate educational support services, elderly and disabled can’t receive adequate care & support and there would likely be less overall participation by women workers who bear a considerable responsibility in taking care of other family members’ welfare within their households. Women account for most unpaid domestic care work within India’s care economy primarily driven by women taking on unpaid domestic care work within households where male care work takes place – creating opportunities that help both individuals & households alike to participate fully as participants as economic players within both households & nations alike!
World Bank data show that on average women spend 352 minutes of unpaid care work daily compared to 51 for men in India, an imbalance that not only limits women’s economic opportunities but perpetuates gender inequality and hampers overall socio-economic progress. It is thus imperative that policymakers and stakeholders recognize and invest in this crucial sector of economy if we hope to address its negative ramifications.
One of the key challenges in the care economy is undervaluing and not recognising care work as part of society’s responsibility; care workers often feel it falls within their personal domain rather than shared responsibility by society; as a result, this form of labor does not receive equal status with other forms of employment, leading to marginalisation and exploitation for care providers without access to adequate wages, benefits or working conditions.
Indian care economy faces several structural barriers which impede its development, such as inadequate public infrastructure and services, limited social protection systems and investment into care workforce training programmes. Due to these constraints, individuals and families often struggle to gain access to essential support, leading them down a path of increasing social exclusion and inequality.
As India faces multiple challenges and strives to strengthen the care economy, policymakers and stakeholders must focus on several areas in order to overcome them. First of all, investment needs to be made into public infrastructure that supports care work such as childcare facilities, healthcare services and social protection programs – this will not only create jobs but will improve well-being of both individuals and families.
Second, efforts should be undertaken to recognize and appreciate care work as an invaluable contribution to society, including raising awareness about its significance while simultaneously supporting care workers with adequate wages, benefits and working conditions. Policies must also be put in place so as not to marginalise this essential and invaluable service provider group.
Last, there is the imperative of cultivating an inclusive care economy in India to foster an atmosphere of mutual support among its population and foster an atmosphere of caring and kindness among individuals and communities alike. By building this strong care economy, India can achieve more equitable society benefits for its entire citizenry.
As this report illustrates, care economy plays a pivotal role in society development and function; policymakers and stakeholders must recognize its significance by supporting it with appropriate investments in infrastructure and services, honoring care work by its workers and creating an atmosphere of care that fosters solidarity – creating an economy which serves all. For UPSC aspirants seeking entrance exams it’s critical that they comprehend this topic of care economics along with its implications on both economic and social progress in India.
