Budget 2026: What schemes, initiates were proposed for employment generation, job creation

In her Union Budget 2026-27 speech on Sunday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the setting up of a high-powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ standing committee.

This committee, she said, will recommend measures that focus on the growth of the services sector to make the country a global leader by 2047, eyeing a 10 per cent global share.

Sitharaman emphasised that the committee will prioritise areas to optimise the potential for growth, employment and exports, while also assessing the impact of emerging technologies, including AI, on jobs and skill requirements and propose measures.

“I propose 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,” she said.

The service sector contributes over 50 per cent in the country's exports and GDP.

Orange economy

Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed an ‘orange economy’ to foster a strong support for India's creative industries, creating future-ready creative jobs.

Noting that India's Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) sector is a rapidly growing industry, Sitharaman said it is projected to require 2 million professionals by 2030.

“I propose to support the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai, in setting up AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges,” Sitharaman said.

This move is expected to boost India's next-generation creator workforce, powering jobs, startups, etc. These activities derive value primarily from ideas, artistic expression and cultural capital.

Employment in animal husbandry sector

Nirmala Sitharaman said the Centre is focusing on the animal husbandry sector to generate quality employment in rural and peri-urban areas through a credit-linked subsidy programme.

She said that the government will work on scaling up and modernising livestock enterprises, creating integrated livestock, dairy and poultry value chains, and encouraging the formation of livestock farmer producer organisations.

For high-value agriculture, the finance minister said, support will be extended to crops such as coconut and sandalwood to diversify farm output, increase productivity, boost farm incomes and create new employment opportunities.

National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid

In the budget speech, Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed setting up a ‘National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid’. This, she said, will help digitally document all places of significance across the country, including cultural and spiritual.

She also proposed development of "ecologically sustainable" mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir and setting up a 'National Institute of Hospitality'.

“Tourism sector has a large role to play in employment generation, forex earnings and expanding the local economy. I propose to set up a National Institute of Hospitality by upgrading the existing National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology,” she said.

It will function as a "bridge" between academia, industry and government, the FM said.

In her speech, the finance minister further proposed to “develop 15 archaeological sites,” including Lothal, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Sarnath, Hastinapur, and Leh Palace into “vibrant experiential cultural destinations”.

(With PTI inputs)