Budget 2026 Unveils Bharat-VISTAAR AI Tool and Strategic Push for Farmer Prosperity
In a significant move to fulfill its kartavya (duty) towards the agricultural sector, the government on Sunday outlined a comprehensive roadmap aimed at substantially increasing farmers' incomes. The Union Budget 2026-27 places strong emphasis on targeted efforts that leverage cutting-edge technology, including multilingual artificial intelligence tools, to enhance productivity and foster entrepreneurship among farmers.
Bharat-VISTAAR: A Game-Changer in Agricultural Advisory
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the launch of Bharat-VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources), an innovative AI tool designed to revolutionize farm-level decision-making. This system will integrate existing AgriStack portals and the ICAR package on agricultural practices with advanced AI systems. According to Sitharaman, Bharat-VISTAAR will enhance farm productivity, enable better decisions for farmers, and reduce risk by providing customized advisory support. The tool is expected to deliver data-driven, personalized digital advisories, empowering farmers with precise insights for improved crop management and yield optimization.
Focus on High-Value Agriculture and Regional Specialization
The budget introduces a strategic focus on high-value agriculture crops, tailoring initiatives to specific geographical regions to maximize economic returns. Key highlights include:
- Coastal areas: Promotion of coconut, sandalwood, cocoa, and cashew cultivation.
- North-East region: Emphasis on agar trees, leveraging the region's unique agro-climatic conditions.
- Hilly regions: Development of nut crops such as almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts.
This regional specialization is part of a broader push to strengthen the farm and allied sectors, ensuring that agricultural practices are aligned with local strengths and market demands.
Boosting Fisheries and Livestock Sectors
Recognizing the critical role of fisheries and livestock in rural economies, the budget proposes several initiatives:
For fisheries: The government plans to undertake integrated development of 500 reservoirs and 'Amrit Sarovars' (ponds). Efforts will be made to strengthen the fisheries value chain in coastal areas and enable market linkages involving startups and women-led groups, in collaboration with Fish Farmers Producer Organisations.
For animal husbandry: A credit-linked subsidy programme will be introduced to scale up and modernize livestock enterprises. The budget also aims to enhance the creation of integrated value chains focused on livestock, dairy, and poultry, and boost the formation of livestock farmer producers organisations. Sitharaman noted that livestock contributes close to 16% of farm incomes, underscoring its importance.
Veterinary Sector Expansion and International Collaboration
To support the livestock sector further, a loan-linked capital subsidy support scheme will be rolled out for establishing veterinary and private colleges, veterinary hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, and breeding facilities in the private sector. This scheme is projected to increase the availability of veterinary professionals by over 20,000. Additionally, collaboration between Indian and foreign institutions will be facilitated to bring global best practices and expertise to the domestic veterinary landscape.
Subsidy Bill Projected to Decline in 2026-27
The government's subsidy expenditure for the 2026-27 financial year is estimated to decrease by over 3% to Rs 4,54,773 crore, down from the revised estimate of Rs 4,69,505 crore in the current fiscal. Key components of the subsidy bill include:
- Food subsidy: Pegged at Rs 2,27,629 crore, slightly lower than the revised estimate of Rs 2,28,154 crore for 2025-26, primarily driven by the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).
- Fertiliser subsidy: Estimated at Rs 1,70,799 crore in FY27, reflecting an 8.4% reduction from the revised estimate of Rs 1,86,460 crore for 2025-26.
- Petroleum subsidy: Primarily for domestic LPG cylinders, projected to decline to Rs 12,085 crore in 2026-27 from the revised estimate of Rs 15,121 crore in the current fiscal.
This adjustment in subsidies is part of the government's fiscal management strategy, aiming to streamline expenditures while continuing to support essential sectors like agriculture and food security.
