Lok Sabha Question No. 2514 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-09
Subject: Soil Health Card Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Ganesan Selvam

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

## LOK  SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2514 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9 TH   JULY, 2019

## SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME

2514.  SHRI SELVAM. G.:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has introduced Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme to assist all  the State Governments including Tamil Nadu for testing of soil in respect of cultivable land;
- (b) if  so, whether the testing is conducted at certain intervals along with the criteria for the same; and
- (c) the  type  of  financial  assistance  provided  to  the  State  Government  of  Tamil  Nadu under the National Project on Management of Soil Health and Fertility (NPMSH&F) and the type of work done in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) & (b):     Yes, Sir.   The Government has introduced Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme to assist State Governments in providing soil test based nutrient recommendations to farmers in all States including Tamil Nadu at an interval of 2 years.  The soil samples are collected from a grid size of 2.5 ha in irrigated area and 10 ha in un-irrigated area. Each soil sample is  to  be  tested  and  analyzed  for  12      parameters  namely,  primary  nutrients  (NPK); secondary nutrient (S); micronutrients (B, Zn, Mn, Fe, & Cu); and others (pH, EC & OC) for comprehensiveness.
- (c): Financial assistance of Rs 42.84 crore has been provided to the State Government of  Tamil  Nadu  under  the  National  Project  on  Management  of  Soil  Health  and  Fertility (NPMSH&F). Details of financial assistance and work done are given at Annexure .

Financial  Assistance  provided  to  the  State  Government  of  Tamil  Nadu  under  the National  Project  on  Management  of  Soil  Health  and  Fertility  and  the  type  of  work done.

## I. Financial releases

(Rs in lakh)

| S.   | Scheme                 | Year    | Year     | Year    | Year    | Year    | Total   |
|------|------------------------|---------|----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| No.  | Scheme                 | 2014-15 | 2015- 16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 |         |
| 1.   | Soil Health Card       | 131.91  | 469.51   | 644.93  | 868.91  | 1286.18 | 3401.44 |
| 2.   | Soil Health Management | 185.00  | 305.76   | 60.00   | 0.00    | 332.01  | 882.77  |
|      | Total                  | 316.91  | 775.27   | 704.93  | 868.91  | 1618.19 | 4284.21 |

## II. Physical work done

| S. No.                        | Component                                                                            | Target (Nos.)         | Achievement (Nos.)    |
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
| Soil Health Card Scheme       | Soil Health Card Scheme                                                              |                       |                       |
| 1                             | Soil Health Cards distributed to farmers i. Cycle-I (2015-17) ii. Cycle-II (2017-19) | 70.00 lakh 69.74 lakh | 67.67 lakh 69.74 lakh |
| Soil Health Management Scheme | Soil Health Management Scheme                                                        |                       |                       |
| 1                             | Setting up of Soil Testing Labs                                                      | 2                     | 2                     |
| 2                             | Setting up of Village level Labs                                                     | 2                     | 2                     |
| 3                             | Setting up of Bio-fertilizer/ Organic Fertilizer Quality Control Lab                 | 1                     | 1                     |
| 4                             | Organic Village Adoption                                                             | 10                    | 10                    |
| 5                             | Strengthening of Soil Testing Labs                                                   | 48                    | 48                    |
| 6                             | Strengthening of Fertilizer Quality Control Labs                                     | 14                    | 14                    |
| 7                             | Strengthening of Bio-fertilizer/ Organic Fertilizer Quality Control Lab              | 1                     | 1                     |
| 8                             | Setting up of Bio-fertilizer Production Unit                                         | 2                     | 2                     |
| 9                             | Strengthening of Bio-fertilizer Production Unit                                      | 6                     | 6                     |

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