AI Chatbot for PM-KISAN Scheme

• 25 Sep 2023

For Prelims: Chatbot, Artificial Intelligence (AI), PM-Kisan

For Mains: Launch of the AI-Chatbot and its impact on addressing the problems of farmers and beneficiaries.

Source:IE

Why in News?

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare launched an AI chatbot — the first of its kind to be integrated with a major flagship scheme of the central government — for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana(PM-KISAN scheme).

• The Chatbot will provide the farmers with “prompt, clear and accurate” responses to their queries.

What are the Key Features of the AI Chatbot for PM KISAN?

• It has been developed and improved with the support of EkStep foundation and Bhashini.
• In the first phase of the development, the AI Chatbot will assist farmers in seeking information related to their application status, payment details, ineligibility status etc.
• The AI Chatbot, accessible through the PM-KISAN mobile application, is integrated with Bhashini which offers multilingual support, catering to the linguistic and regional diversity of the PM-KISAN beneficiaries.
• This integration of advanced technology will not only enhance transparency but also empower farmers to make informed decisions.

What is an AI Chatbot?

• About:
  • Chatbots, also called chatterbots, is a form of Artificial Intelligence (AI) used in messaging apps.
  • This tool helps add convenience for customers—they are automated programs that interact with customers like a human would and cost little to nothing to engage with.
    • Key examples are chatbots used by businesses in Facebook Messenger, or as virtual assistants, such as Amazon's Alexa and ChatGPT etc.
    • Chatbots tend to operate in one of two ways—either via machine learning or with set guidelines.
    • However, due to advancements in AI technology, chatbots using set guidelines are becoming a historical footnote.
• Machine Learning Chatbot:
  • A chatbot that functions through machine learning have an artificial neural network inspired by the neural nodes of the human brain.
  • The bot is programmed to self-learn as it is introduced to new dialogues and words.
  • In effect, as a chatbot receives new voice or textual dialogues, the number of inquiries that it can reply to and the accuracy of each response it gives increases.
    • Meta (as Facebook's parent company is now known) has a machine learning chatbot that creates a platform for companies to interact with their consumers through the Messenger application.

What is PM KISAN Scheme?

• About:
  
  • It was launched on 24^th February, 2019 to supplement financial needs of land holding farmers.
• Financial Benefits:
  
  • Financial benefit of Rs 6000/- per year, in three equal installments every four months, is transferred into the bank accounts of farmers’ families across the country through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.
• Scope of the Scheme:
  
  • The scheme was initially meant for Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs) having landholding upto 2 hectares but scope of the scheme was extended to cover all landholding farmers.
• Funding and Implementation:
  
  • It is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India.
  • It is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Objectives:
  
  • To supplement the financial needs of the Small and Marginal Farmers in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income at the end of each crop cycle.
  • To protect them from falling in the clutches of moneylenders for meeting such expenses and ensure their continuance in the farming activities.
• PM-KISAN Mobile App:
  • It was developed and designed by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• Physical Verification Module:
  • A mandatory physical verification of 5% beneficiary every year is being done as per the provisions laid down in the scheme.
• Excluded Category: The following categories of beneficiaries of higher economic status shall not be eligible for benefit under the scheme:
  • All Institutional Land holders.
  • Farmer families which belong to one or more of the following categories:
    • Former and present holders of constitutional posts.
    • Former and present Ministers/ State Ministers and former/present Members of LokSabha/ RajyaSabha/ State Legislative Assemblies/ State Legislative Councils,former and present Mayors of Municipal Corporations, former and present Chairpersons of District Panchayats.
    • All serving or retired officers and employees of Central/ State Government Ministries /Offices/Departments and its field units Central or State PSEs and Attached offices /Autonomous Institutions under Government as well as regular employees of the Local Bodies
      (Excluding Multi Tasking Staff /Class IV/Group D employees)
    • All superannuated/retired pensioners whose monthly pension is Rs.10,000/-or more (Excluding Multi Tasking Staff / Class IV/Group D employees) of above category
    • All Persons who paid Income Tax in last assessment year.
    • Professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, and Architects registered with Professional bodies and carrying out profession by undertaking practices.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q1. With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following? (2020)

1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units
2. Create meaningful short stories and songs
3. Disease diagnosis
4. Text-to-Speech Conversion
5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Ans: (b)