Bharat VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources) was officially launched today, February 17, 2026, in Jaipur, Rajasthan by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The event was held at the State Institute of Agricultural Management (SIAM), Durgapura, Jaipur, at 10:00 AM, in the presence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
This AI-powered, multilingual digital platform was announced in the Union Budget 2026-27 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Bharat-VISTAAR aims to deliver real-time, personalized agricultural information directly to farmers across India through a simple phone call, chatbot, or upcoming mobile app. It integrates reliable data from AgriStack, ICAR, IMD, AgMarkNet, and other official sources to provide accurate, location-specific guidance in farmers’ preferred local languages — even on basic feature phones.
Key Features of Bharat VISTAAR (Phase-1 Launch)
Personalized & Actionable Advice: AI analyzes data to give crop planning, package of practices, risk reduction tips, and more.
Multilingual AI Assistant: Named ‘Bharati’, supports Hindi, English, and other regional languages (e.g., Marathi via Vasudha in Maharashtra, Gujarati via Sarlaben in Gujarat) for voice-based queries.
Voice-First Access: Farmers can dial a toll-free helpline number 155261 from any phone and speak naturally to get instant responses.
Real-Time Information:
- Weather forecasts and alerts (from IMD).
- Market prices and mandi updates (from AgMarkNet).
- Pest and disease identification & management (National Pest Surveillance System).
- Soil health and crop advisories (Agri-Stack data & ICAR practices).
Government Schemes Integration:
- Details, eligibility, and application guidance for 10 major central schemes at launch, including:
- PM-KISAN
- PM Fasal Bima Yojana (crop insurance)
- Soil Health Card
- Kisan Credit Card (KCC)
- Per Drop More Crop (drip irrigation)
- And others like credit, insurance, and productivity boosters.
Benefits for Indian Farmers
This platform bridges the gap between scientific knowledge and on-ground farming needs. It helps reduce risks from weather, pests, and market fluctuations, saves time/money on inputs, improves yields, and makes government schemes easier to access. Phase-1 rollout covers several states (including Maharashtra, Bihar, Gujarat), with nationwide expansion planned.
Government Statements from the Launch
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described it as a “farmer-centric digital revolution” under PM Narendra Modi’s vision, connecting fields directly to AI for smarter farming.
Farmers can start using Bharat-VISTAAR today — dial 155261 and experience the change!
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