Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme today in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Shri Bhajanlal Sharma, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, too was present on the occasion. During the programme, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan also unveiled the farmer-centric AI Hackathon and the Agri Kosh AI Strategy Roadmap.

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the central government’s goal is to enhance the production capacities of farmers. 

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has launched the Artificial Intelligence-based ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme. The objective of this scheme is to provide farmers with various agriculture-related information with the help of technology. Through this, farmers can use their smartphones or ordinary mobile phones to find solutions to their problems as well as obtain information about various schemes being run by the central government and avail benefits from them.

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that under the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme, farmers will dial the number 155261, tell their problems, and get immediate solutions. The same number can also be used to find out market prices from various mandis across the country. He said that the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme provides the facility to get immediate answers in one’s local language upon asking questions. The scheme has been started in Hindi and English languages. Soon, farmers will be able to interact in 11 languages.

The Union Agriculture Minister said that under the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme, a Farmer Identity Card (ID) is also being created. This will contain all the information about the farmers. Currently, some schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and Soil Health Card have been included in this scheme. In the future, information about all schemes for farmers will be available through it. Preparations are underway to connect the entire agricultural system with the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme.

Targeting the opposition party, the Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister said that Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi should tell why the previous UPA governments refused to accept the Swaminathan Committee’s recommendation to determine MSP (Minimum Support Price) by adding 50 per cent profit on cost, by filing an affidavit in court. He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi implemented on the ground the decision to determine MSP by adding 50 per cent profit on cost in the interest of farmers. Referring to the events of 2009-10, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched sharp political attacks and said that at that time, the poor citizens of the country were forced to buy flour at ₹20 per kg, but despite the ban, the same flour was exported outside at ₹12.51 per kg, while domestic needs were unmet.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Bhajanlal Sharma also addressed the programme and said that to achieve the goal of a Developed India (Viksit Bharat), it is essential to have developed farmers (Viksit Kisan). By 2047, when India becomes a developed nation, the role of Indian farmers will be crucial. It is a matter of pride for our country that the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme has been launched to bring change in the lives of farmers. With the help of Artificial Intelligence-based technology in agriculture, prosperity will come in the lives of farmers. Through the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme, farmers will become self-reliant. Farmers will get any agriculture-related information instantly with the help of mobile phones. Information on soil testing, seeds, fertilisers, and water as per requirement for agriculture will be available.

Shri Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, addressed the programme and said that the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme is an effort to provide all information to farmers on a single platform instead of different platforms, in their local language. First, information is being launched in Hindi and English. Soon, information will also be provided to farmers under the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme in other local languages.

In this programme, Dr. M. L. Jat, Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), said that ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ is a historic launch that integrates Indian agriculture and is completely farmer-centric. During the programme, Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Smt. Manju Sharma, MP from Jaipur; Shri V. Srinivas, Chief Secretary, Rajasthan Government; Smt. Manju Rajpal, Principal Secretary to the Government, Rajasthan Government, were present. Agriculture ministers from various states of the country were also present through video conferencing.

It may be noted that the main objective of the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme is to use India’s major AI-powered digital public infrastructure for the agriculture-related needs of farmers. ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ provides a multilingual AI-based conversational advisory system, integrating resources from AgriStack, ICAR, various agricultural schemes, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), mandi prices, and state systems into a single digital system. Under the ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ scheme, by providing services, mandi prices, loans, insurance, and information related to government schemes to farmers, it assists in increasing their productivity and reducing risks.

Key Highlights of the launch

The event took place in Jaipur with prominent dignitaries including Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Bhajanlal Sharma leading the inauguration. The AI Hackathon focused on farmers, and the Agri Kosh AI Strategy Roadmap were also unveiled, emphasising innovative solutions for agricultural challenges. This initiative aligns with the central government’s commitment to technology-driven farmer empowerment.

Features of the ‘Bharat-VISTAAR’ Scheme

Farmers can dial 155261 to voice their queries and receive instant solutions in their local language, starting with Hindi and English, expanding soon to 11 languages. The helpline also provides real-time mandi prices from markets across India. A key component is the Farmer ID, or Farmer Identity Card, which will store comprehensive farmer data and link to schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and Soil Health Card, with plans for full integration of all agricultural schemes.

Minister’s vision and criticisms

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan reiterated the government’s aim to boost farmer production capacities through Artificial Intelligence. He sharply criticised the opposition, particularly Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi, posing five questions on UPA-era agricultural irregularities. Specific references included the Swaminathan Committee’s MSP recommendation rejection via court affidavit and the 2009-10 flour export scandal amid domestic shortages, contrasting it with PM Modi’s implementation of cost-plus-50% MSP.

Statements from other leaders

Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Bhajanlal Sharma stressed that developed farmers (Viksit Kisan) are vital for a Developed India (Viksit Bharat) by 2047, praising ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ for fostering self-reliance via AI-driven advice on soil testing, seeds, fertilisers, and water. Shri Devesh Chaturvedi highlighted the unified platform approach for local language access. Dr. M. L. Jat called it a historic, farmer-centric integration of Indian agriculture.

Attendees and broader context

The programme saw participation from Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, Smt. Manju Sharma, Shri V. Srinivas, and Smt. Manju Rajpal, alongside state agriculture ministers via video. Timed with Delhi’s AI Summit, the launch underscores AI’s role in agriculture. ‘Bharat VISTAAR’ leverages AgriStack, ICAR, IMD, and state systems to deliver multilingual advisory services, enhancing productivity and risk mitigation through loans, insurance, and scheme information.

***

RC/PU/MK