In a series of announcements aimed at opening up job opportunities for millions of youth in the country, the Budget 2026, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, laid out a roadmap across various sectors to create a pool of professionals in various sectors, including healthcare, hospitality, and tourism.
The Finance Minister proposed to set up a National Institute of Hospitality by upgrading the existing National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology. It will function as a bridge between academia, industry, and the government. She further proposed a pilot scheme for upskilling 10,000 guides in 20 tourist sites through a standardised, high-quality 12-week training course in hybrid mode, in collaboration with an Indian Institute of Management.
Recognising the growing healthcare demands arising from an ageing population, the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, and increasing global demand for skilled healthcare professionals, the government has proposed a phased plan outlay of Rs 980 crore over three years for the expansion and strengthening of allied and healthcare professionals’ education.
Under this initiative, Allied Health Professional (AHP) Institutes in 10 key disciplines will be set up and upgraded to create nearly one lakh skilled professionals over the next five years through public and private sector participation.
Additionally, a focused programme will train 1.5 lakh geriatric caregivers, addressing the rapidly rising long-term care needs of India’s elderly population. These measures will enhance diagnostics, preventive, rehabilitative, and public health services while positioning India as a global hub for skilled allied healthcare professionals.
India’s Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector is a growing industry, projected to require 2 million professionals by 2030. The Finance Minister proposed to support the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai, in setting up AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges, giving a boost to the upskilling of the youth of the country.
The Union Budget also proposed to set up a High-Powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ Standing Committee to recommend measures that focus on the Services Sector as a core driver of Viksit Bharat. This will make India a global leader in services, with a 10 per cent global share by 2047. The Committee will prioritise areas to optimise the potential for growth, employment and exports. They will also assess the impact of emerging technologies, including AI, on jobs and skill requirements and propose measures thereof.
To promote India as a hub for medical tourism services, the Finance Minister proposed a scheme to support states in establishing five regional medical hubs in partnership with the private sector. These Hubs will serve as integrated healthcare complexes that combine medical, educational and research facilities. They will have AYUSH Centres, Medical Value Tourism Facilitation Centres and infrastructure for diagnostics, post-care and rehabilitation. These Hubs will provide diverse job opportunities for health professionals, including doctors and AHPs.
To strengthen mental healthcare services for the youth, the Budget provides for the upgradation of premier mental health institutions at Ranchi and Tezpur, along with the establishment of a NIMHANS in North India, significantly expanding access to advanced mental health care, training, and research facilities. The government has proposed the establishment of Emergency and Trauma Care Centres in every district hospital, ensuring affordable and round-the-clock (24×7) access to critical emergency medical services for citizens across the country.
The Finance Minister said that to fulfill aspirations and build capacity, close to 25 crore individuals have come out of multidimensional poverty through a decade of the government’s sustained and reform-oriented efforts.
Presenting the Yuva Shakti-driven Budget, which emphasises the Government’s ‘Sankalp’ to focus on the poor and the underprivileged, the Finance Minister said India will continue to take confident steps towards Viksit Bharat, balancing ambition with inclusion.