Lok Sabha Question No. 2738 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-01
Subject: Expenditure on Soil Health Cards
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAJENDRA AGRAWAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2738

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  1 ST  AUGUST, 2017

## EXPENDITURE ON SOIL HEALTH CARDS

2738.  SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE      ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  funds  spent  on  Soil  Health  Cards  as  against  funds  allocated during the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
- (b) whether paucity of funds has been reported in the implementation of the scheme and if so, the details thereof and the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to provide state-of-the-art/advanced infrastructure and  equipment to enhance the performance and capacity of soil testing laboratories in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government has observed any reduction in excessive use of urea in States  like  Punjab,  Haryana  and  Rajasthan  since  issuance  of  soil  health  cards  and testing of soil by the laboratories therein and if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान  कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (  SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a): A statement showing state-wise fund released during the last three years is given at Annexure.  During the current year no funds have been released so far.
- (b):    There is no report on paucity of funds for implementation of the scheme.
- (c): Under Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme financial assistance is provided to State Governments for setting up of new static/mobile/Mini Soil Testing Laboratories and strengthening of existing soil testing laboratories.
- (d): In  Haryana,  about  9.17%  less  consumption  of  urea  has  been  observed  during Kharif  season  2016-17  as  compared  to  Kharif  2015-16.  Similarly  a  decrease  about 6.43%  consumption  was  observed  during  Rabi  season  2016-17  compared  to  that  of Rabi  2015-16.    In  Rajasthan,  distribution  of    soil  health  card  is  in  progress,  the

anticipated decrease in consumption of urea is   5-8%.   In Punjab consumption of urea has come down  from 28 lakh MT in 2015-16 to 27.27 lakh MT in 2016-17.

Annexure

State-wise fund released under Soil Health Card Scheme from 2014-15 to 2016-17 (Rs. in lakh)

| Sl. No.             | State         |         |          |
|---------------------|---------------|---------|----------|
| Sl. No.             | 2014-15       | 2015-16 | 2016-17  |
| 1 Andhra Pradesh    | 124.08        | 457.75  | 1394.47  |
| 2 Arunachal Pradesh | 12.23         | 17.18   | 37.37    |
| 3 Assam             | 50.85         | 142.07  | 365.03   |
| 4 Bihar             | 253.39        | 488.17  | 0.00     |
| 5 Chhattisgarh      | 66.04         | 281.03  | 342.72   |
| 6 Goa               | 11.51         | 12.42   | 0.00     |
| 7 Gujarat           | 80.76         | 603.46  | 528.69   |
| 8 Haryana           | 34.13         | 288.22  | 0.00     |
| 9 Himachal Pradesh  | 24.08         | 47.34   | 29.42    |
| 10 J & K            | 31.79         | 77.16   | 0.00     |
| 11 Jharkhand        | 50.69         | 53.97   | 64.18    |
| 12 Karnataka        | 127.02        | 650.25  | 1029.80  |
| 13 Kerala           | 112.62        | 60.93   | 0.00     |
| 14 Madhya Pradesh   | 142.86        | 888.05  | 1373.54  |
| 15 Maharashtra      | 215.96        | 932.30  | 1910.73  |
| 16 Manipur          | 12.80         | 17.58   | 0.00     |
| 17 Meghalaya        | 13.62         | 20.60   | 0.00     |
| 18 Mizoram          | 11.98         | 13.79   | 6.15     |
| 19 Nagaland         | 13.18         | 22.46   | 17.55    |
| 20 Odisha           | 80.23         | 269.89  | 304.48   |
| 21 Punjab           | 25.81         | 304.98  | 0.00     |
| 22 Rajasthan        | 143.42        | 875.79  | 1108.29  |
| 23 Sikkim           | 11.75         | 11.81   | 0.00     |
| 24 Tamil Nadu       | 131.91        | 469.51  | 644.92   |
| 25 Telengana        | 93.48         | 352.92  | 468.25   |
| 26 Tripura          | 18.38         | 22.71   | 59.21    |
| 27 Uttar Pradesh    | 354.47        | 1716.12 | 2442.05  |
| 28 Uttarakhand      | 23.40         | 65.19   | 144.70   |
| 29 West Bengal      | 117.14        | 480.12  | 1094.96  |
|                     | Total 2389.58 | 9643.77 | 13366.49 |

So far, No funds released during 2017-18

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