Lok Sabha Question No. 1559 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-12
Subject: Soil Health Cards
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1559

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  12 TH  FEBRUARY, 2019

## SOIL HEALTH CARDS

1559.  SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE:

DR. KIRIT P. SOLANKI:

SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE:

SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:

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

- (a) the salient features and objectives/ purposes of the Soil Health Cards Scheme along with  the  criterion  laid  down  under  the  scheme  for  issuance  of  Soil  Health  Cards  to  the farmers;
- (b) the number of SHCs issued to the farmers across the country under the scheme since inception, the details thereof, year-wise and State/UT-wise including Karnataka;
- (c) whether the Government has set any target to cover all the farmers under the scheme in the country, if so, the details thereof and the achievement of the scheme till date;
- (d) the details of the funds provided by the Union Government to the States along with their utilisation reported by the States under the said scheme since inception;
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  set  up  adequate  number  of  Soil  Testing  Laboratories across the country to facilitate farmers and if so, the details thereof, State/  UT-wise along with the number of farmers who availed benefits of such laboratories so far;
- (f) whether  all  the  Soil  Testing  Laboratories  in  the  country  are  functional  to  provide services to farmers and if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor; and
- (g) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government in this direction?

## 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): Government of India has introduced Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme in 2015 to assist State Governments in providing Soil Health Cards to all farmers across the country once in a cycle of 2 years.  Soil  Health  Card  provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their

soil  along  with  recommendations  on  appropriate  dosage  of  nutrients  to  be  applied  for improving soil health, fertility and yield of crops. Soil sampling is done on grid basis - 2.5 ha. size grids in  irrigated areas and 10 ha grids in rainfed areas.   Sample testing is to be done for 12 parameters namely pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic Carbon (OC), macronutrients [Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) & Potash (K)], secondary nutrients [Sulphur (S)] and micronutrients [Zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Managese (Mn) & Boron (B)].

(b) & (c): During the first  Cycle  (2015-17),  against  the  target  of  10.73  crore  soil  health cards,100% cards have been issued to farmers.  In the second Cycle (2017-19), against the target of 12.04 crore soil health cards, 8.13 crore cards issued to farmers till 06.02.2019 by States including in Karnataka. The State-wise detailed statement is given at Annexure-I.

(d): The  details  of  funds  provided  by  the  Government  to  the  States  along  with  its utilization reported by the States is given at Annexure-II.

(e) to (g): Since  the  inception  of  the  scheme  in  2015,  financial  assistance  has  been provided to states / UTs for setting up of 411 new Static Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs), 100 Mobile   Soil Testing Laboratories (MSTLs), 8752 Mini Soil Testing Laboratories, 1562 Village    Level  Soil  Testing  Laboratories.  The  state/UT  wise  details  of    Soil  testing  labs created/strengthened is given  at Annexure -lll.

Due  to  the  support  extended  to  soil  testing  infrastructure  under  the  scheme,      soil testing  capacity  (from  1.78  crore  samples  in  2014    to  4.85  crore  sample  as  on  date)  has increased  there by facilitating  timely testing and distribution of SHC to  10.73 crore farmers in cycle -1  & 8.13 crore farmers in   cycle-2 sofar.

## Annexure-I

State-wise and Cycle-wise Achievement of Soil Health Card

## Distribution under Soil Health Card Scheme

(As on 06.02.2019)

| Sl.No.   | States/UTs             |   First Cycle (2015-17) |   Second Cycle (2017-19) |
|----------|------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
| 1        | Uttar Pradesh          |                16991346 |                 14568003 |
| 2        | Maharashtra            |                12977232 |                  9796144 |
| 3        | Madhya Pradesh         |                 8872377 |                  6440000 |
| 4        | Rajasthan              |                 6886000 |                  7068000 |
| 5        | Karnataka              |                 7832189 |                  6036754 |
| 6        | Gujarat                |                 5108923 |                  4602969 |
| 7        | Andhra Pradesh         |                 7455204 |                  6188098 |
| 8        | Bihar                  |                 6469650 |                  3689859 |
| 9        | West Bengal            |                 5040510 |                  2724000 |
| 10       | Tamil Nadu             |                 7000000 |                  5669271 |
| 11       | Telangana              |                 5720737 |                  2367202 |
| 12       | Punjab                 |                 1251726 |                   630296 |
| 13       | Haryana                |                 4227238 |                  1373486 |
| 14       | Chhattisgarh           |                 3890709 |                  4718566 |
| 15       | Odisha                 |                 2374233 |                  1187768 |
| 16       | Kerala                 |                  763435 |                   747213 |
| 17       | Goa                    |                   25000 |                    12000 |
| 18       | Uttarakhand            |                  750494 |                   814181 |
| 19       | Himachal Pradesh       |                  385011 |                   770413 |
| 20       | J & K                  |                  692062 |                   887413 |
| 21       | Jharkhand              |                  637507 |                   233428 |
| 22       | Arunachal Pradesh      |                   20532 |                       55 |
| 23       | Assam                  |                 1300901 |                   397135 |
| 24       | Manipur                |                  114522 |                    24196 |
| 25       | Meghalaya              |                  209561 |                   181181 |
| 26       | Mizoram                |                   11986 |                     8856 |
| 27       | Nagaland               |                  184797 |                    38000 |
| 28       | Sikkim                 |                   46000 |                        0 |
| 29       | Tripura                |                  117723 |                   117723 |
| 30       | Andaman & Nicobar      |                   10000 |                     5900 |
| 31       | Dadra and Nagar Haveli |                    2222 |                        0 |
| 32       | Puducherry             |                   19594 |                     2200 |
| Total    |                        |               107389421 |                 81300310 |

## State-wise fund released and Utilization under Soil Health Card Scheme

| Sl. No          | 2014-15   | 2014-15       | 2015-16   | 2015-16       | 2016-17   | 2016-17       | 2017-18   | 2017-18       | 2018-19   | 2018-19       |
|-----------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|---------------|
| Sl. No          | Released  | Fund Utilized | Released  | Fund Utilized | Released  | Fund Utilized | Released  | Fund Utilized | Released  | Fund Utilized |
| 1 Andhra Pra.   | 124.08    | 124.08        | 457.75    | 457.75        | 1394.47   | 1394.47       | 1225.67   | 1225.67       | 1345.97   | 1345.97       |
| 2 Arunachal Pr. | 12.23     | 12.23         | 17.18     | 17.18         | 37.37     | 37.37         | 20.79     | 20.79         | 49.40     | 0.00          |
| 3 Assam         | 50.85     | 50.85         | 142.07    | 142.07        | 365.03    | 365.03        | 0.00      | 0.00          | 561.70    | 0.00          |
| 4 Bihar         | 253.39    | 253.39        | 488.17    | 488.17        | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 967.50    | 0.00          |
| 5 Chhattisgarh  | 66.04     | 66.04         | 281.03    | 281.03        | 342.72    | 342.72        | 888.12    | 888.12        | 646.89    | 350.05        |
| 6 Goa           | 11.51     | 0.00          | 12.42     | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          |
| 7 Gujarat       | 80.76     | 80.76         | 603.46    | 603.46        | 528.69    | 528.69        | 1990.36   | 1916.81       | 1134.81   | 0.00          |
| 8 Haryana       | 34.13     | 34.13         | 288.22    | 288.22        | 0.00      | 0.00          | 1065.05   | 1065.05       | 1155.13   | 0.00          |
| 9 Himachal Pr.  | 24.08     | 24.08         | 47.34     | 47.34         | 29.42     | 29.42         | 136.34    | 136.3400      | 113.09    | 70.13         |
| 10 J & K        | 31.79     | 31.79         | 77.16     | 77.16         | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 246.54    | 0.00          |
| 11 Jharkhand    | 50.69     | 50.69         | 53.97     | 53.97         | 64.18     | 64.18         | 0.00      | 0.00          | 111.52    | 0.00          |
| 12 Karnataka    | 127.02    | 127.02        | 650.25    | 650.25        | 1029.80   | 1029.80       | 1135.63   | 1135.63       | 1213.88   | 526.39        |
| 13 Kerala       | 112.62    | 112.62        | 60.93     | 60.93         | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 154.52    | 0.00          |
| 14 Madhya Pr.   | 142.86    | 142.86        | 888.05    | 888.05        | 1373.54   | 1373.54       | 2669.47   | 2669.47       | 2097.56   | 0.00          |
| 15 Maharashtra  | 215.96    | 215.96        | 932.30    | 932.30        | 1910.73   | 1910.73       | 1066.77   | 1066.77       | 1560.21   | 1560.21       |
| 16 Manipur      | 12.80     | 0.00          | 17.58     | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          |
| 17 Meghalaya    | 13.62     | 13.62         | 20.60     | 20.60         | 0.00      | 0.00          | 40.26     | 40.26         | 30.48     | 30.48         |
| 18 Mizoram      | 11.98     | 11.98         | 13.79     | 13.79         | 6.15      | 6.15          | 12.25     | 12.25         | 21.53     | 21.53         |
| 19 Nagaland     | 13.18     | 13.18         | 22.46     | 22.46         | 17.55     | 17.55         | 0.00      | 0.00          | 40.03     | 40.03         |
| 20 Odisha       | 80.23     | 80.23         | 269.89    | 269.89        | 304.48    | 304.48        | 451.33    | 451.33        | 341.96    | 341.96        |
| 21 Punjab       | 25.81     | 25.81         | 304.98    | 304.98        | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 405.79    | 108.79        |
| 22 Rajasthan    | 143.42    | 143.42        | 875.79    | 875.79        | 1108.29   | 1108.29       | 0.00      | 0.00          | 2109.67   | 0.00          |
| 23 Sikkim       | 11.75     | 11.75         | 11.81     | 11.81         | 0.00      | 0.00          | 13.51     | 13.51         | 92.09     | 0.00          |
| 24 Tamil Nadu   | 131.91    | 131.91        | 469.51    | 469.51        | 644.92    | 644.92        | 868.91    | 868.91        | 964.64    | 576.94        |
| 25 Telengana    | 93.48     | 93.48         | 352.92    | 352.92        | 468.25    | 468.25        | 705.39    | 434.03        | 498.92    | 0.00          |
| 26 Tripura      | 18.38     | 18.38         | 22.71     | 22.71         | 59.21     | 59.21         | 33.48     | 33.48         | 37.13     | 26.42         |
| 27 Uttar Pr.    | 354.47    | 354.47        | 1716.42   | 1716.42       | 2442.05   | 2442.05       | 2256.36   | 2200.60       | 2319.31   | 1560.41       |
| 28 Uttarakhand  | 23.40     | 23.40         | 65.19     | 65.19         | 144.70    | 144.70        | 92.54     | 92.54         | 235.52    | 99.95         |
| 29 West Bengal  | 117.14    | 117.14        | 480.12    | 480.12        | 1094.96   | 1094.96       | 591.01    | 0.00          | 637.18    | 0.00          |
| 30 Puducherry   | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 13.64     | 13.64         | 14.90     | 0.00          |
| 31 A&N Island   | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 5.78      | 0.00          |
| 32 D&N Haveli   | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 0.00      | 0.00          | 6.26      | 0.00          |
| Total           | 2389.58   | 2365.27       | 9644.06   | 9614.06       | 13366.49  | 13366.49      | 15276.87  | 14285.18      | 19119.89  | 6659.26       |

## Annexure-II

(Rs, in lakh)

## Various Type of Soil Testing Laboratories sanctioned from 2014-15 to 2018-19

## ******

Annexure-III

(In numbers)

| S.No   | 2016-17 2017-18   | 2016-17 2017-18   | 2016-17 2017-18   | 2016-17 2017-18   | 2016-17 2017-18   | States 2014-15   | States 2014-15   | States 2014-15   | States 2014-15   | States 2014-15   |
|--------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|

STLs- Soil Testing Labs. Str- strengthened VLSTLs- Village Level Soil Testing Labs.