New Delhi: Around 1 lakh allied health professionals (AHPs) will be added across 10 disciplines, including optometry, radiology, anaesthesia and applied psychology, over the next five years, the government announced Sunday in the Union Budget 2026.
The Union Health Ministry has been allocated Rs 1,000 crore for the Scheme for Allied Health Care Professionals (AHPs) for the first time in the budget.
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, the Union Health Ministry said.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha, said existing institutions for allied health professionals would be upgraded, and new AHP institutions would be established in private and government sectors.
This would create a new range of skilled career pathways for India’s youth in the health sector, she said.
This will cover 10 selected disciplines, including optometry, radiology, anaesthesia, OT technology, applied psychology and behavioural health and add 1 lakh AHPs over the next five years, she said.
Announcing that programmes aligned with the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) will be developed to train caregivers in core care and allied skills, she said 1.5 lakh caregivers will be trained in the coming year.