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ENHI

RAS question

The 'Bharat-VISTAAR' platform launched in Jaipur, Rajasthan in February 2026 is best described as:

Correct answer: (B) An AI-driven multilingual Digital Public Infrastructure platform for farmers integrating crop advisories, mandi prices, weather, and government schemes, accessible via helpline 155261.

Bharat-VISTAAR is a nationwide, AI-powered, voice-first and multilingual Digital Public Infrastructure platform that gives farmers access to personalised agricultural advisories and allied support services.

  1. (A)

    A satellite-based remote sensing system for mapping agricultural land under Ministry of Science and Technology

  2. (B)

    An AI-driven multilingual Digital Public Infrastructure platform for farmers integrating crop advisories, mandi prices, weather, and government schemes, accessible via helpline 155261

  3. (C)

    A direct benefit transfer scheme under PM-KISAN to provide income support to farmers

  4. (D)

    A blockchain-based land record digitisation platform under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme

Explanation

Bharat-VISTAAR stands for Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources. The Rajya Sabha answer describes it as an AI-powered, voice-first, multilingual Digital Public Infrastructure platform for farmers, not as a mapping, transfer, or land-record system. Its purpose is to give reliable, real-time and location-specific agricultural advisories while linking farmers to support services. In Phase I, launched on 17 February 2026, it is available in Hindi and English through channels including the dedicated telephone number 155261, a voice-based AI chatbot, a Ministry web portal and a mobile application. The platform integrates information on crop management, weather, market prices, pest and disease alerts, soil health insights and major Central schemes in a phased manner.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) A is wrong because Bharat-VISTAAR is defined as an AI-powered farmer advisory and services DPI, not a satellite-based remote sensing system for agricultural land mapping.
  • (C) C is wrong because PM-KISAN is one of the Central schemes integrated into Phase I, whereas Bharat-VISTAAR itself is the wider access platform, not a direct benefit transfer scheme.
  • (D) D is wrong because Bharat-VISTAAR deals with agricultural advisories, market prices, soil health insights and scheme access, not blockchain-based land-record digitisation under DILRMP.

Concept

This tests the digital agriculture and farmer-service delivery part of Rajasthan economy and current affairs. RAS repeatedly asks whether candidates can distinguish a new DPI platform from schemes for DBT, remote sensing or land records.

Source

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