Lok Sabha Question No. 4265 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-28
Subject: Soil Health Card Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RATTAN LAL KATARIA, KINJARAPU RAM MOHAN NAIDU, ABHISHEK SINGH

O.I.H

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4265

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 28 TH   MARCH, 2017

## SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME

4265.     SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA: SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU: SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any parameters have been laid down to issue soil health cards to the farmers in the country and if so, the details thereof along with the nodal agency entrusted with the work of issuing soil health cards;
- (b) whether there is a gap between the number of farmers targeted to be given soil health cards in different States and the number of farmers actually given these cards;
- (c) if  so, the reasons thereof along with the adequate funds released under the soil health card schemes to all the States;
- (d) whether  technical  helps/assistants  are  getting  employment  under  the  soil  health  card scheme and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether excess use of pesticides is causing adverse effect on the health of soil and if so, the details thereof and the corrective steps taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

- (a):       The Government has introduced Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme with an aim to provide soil health cards to all farm holdings across the country once in a cycle of two years. Uniform norms of 10 hectares for rainfed areas and 2.5 hectare for irrigated areas constitute the grid for soil  sample  collection.  Uniform  norms  of  testing  12  parameters  is  followed  namely  major nutrients (N, P, K), secondary nutrients (S), micro-nutrients (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn & B) and others (pH, EC & OC). The State Government through its Department of Agriculture is nodal agency to issue soil health card to farmers.
- (b) & (c):      So far against the target of 14 crore cards distribution, 6 crore cards have been distributed and remaining cards are under printing. Adequate funds have been released to all States,  funds  amounting  to  Rs  23.89  crore,  Rs  96.44  crore  and  Rs  126.47  crore  have  been released during 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 respectively under the scheme.

(d): The  Soil  Health  Card  Scheme  has  a  provision  for  contractual  services  of  two  staff  in each lab for soil analysis.

(e): To  prevent  excess  use  of  pesticides,  Integrated  Pest  Management  approach  through Central  Integrated  Pest  Management  Centres  to  produce  biological  agents  for  release  in  the fields, conserve natural bio-control agents, promote bio-pesticides as an alternative  to chemical pesticides and advocate judicious and safe use of chemical pesticides as a last resort. These activities are implemented through Farmers Field Schools (FFSs), 2 days and 5 days training programmes  and  season  long  training  program  for  State  Agriculture  Extension  Offices  and NGOs/  Private  Bodies.      A  'Grow  Safe  Food'  campaign  has  been  initiated  disseminating message of safe and judicious use of pesticides to farmers and other stakeholders.  Package of practices for control of pests and diseases in 87 crops have been revised to include techniques to reduce dependence on chemical pesticides and encourage use of bio-pesticides and other alternative plant protection measures.

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