Source: News on Air
Context:
On 17 February 2026, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Bharat VISTAAR in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Full name: Bharat – Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources
It is an AI-driven digital platform for farmers.
What is Bharat VISTAAR?
A digital companion for farmers that integrates agricultural data, schemes, and advisory services into a single platform to improve access to government support and farm guidance.
Core Integration
Bharat VISTAAR connects:
- AgriStack — India’s agricultural digital public infrastructure
- Farmer registries
- Land records
- Crop data
- Farm practice packages of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
Access Modes
✔ Toll-free helpline 155261
✔ AI voice assistant Bharati (works on basic phones)
✔ Web portal of Ministry of Agriculture
✔ Chatbot services (English and Hindi)
Phase-1 Implementation States
- Maharashtra
- Bihar
- Gujarat
- Rajasthan
Integrated with state platforms such as:
- Vasudha / MahaVistaar (Maharashtra)
- BiharKrishi (Bihar)
- Sarlaben (Gujarat)
Major Schemes Integrated (10)
- PM-KISAN
- PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
- Soil Health Card (SHC)
- Kisan Credit Card (KCC)
- PM-AASHA
- PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)
- Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
- Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
- Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
- Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)
