Lok Sabha Question No. 214 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-10
Subject: Soil Health Card Programme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Tharaniventhan M S

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 214

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2024

## SOIL HEALTH CARD PROGRAMME

## *214. SHRI THARANIVENTHAN M S:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष और िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the Soil Health Card Programme/scheme; (b) the details of funds sanctioned, allocated and utilized under this programme in Tamil Nadu during the last three years and the current Year; (c) the number of farmers enrolled under this programme in Tamil Nadu during the last three years and the current year; (d) the details of targets set and achievements made so far under this programme across the country along with its objectives and aims; (e) whether the Government has made some amendments/revamped this scheme; and (f)  if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष और िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

- (a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PART (a) TO (f) OF  THE  LOK SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. 214 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2024 REGARDING SOIL HEALTH CARD PROGRAMME.

- (a): Soil Health & Fertility Scheme has been implemented by the Government since 2015, wherein Soil Health Cards (SHCs) are issued to farmers to improve the health of the  soil.  Soil  Health  Cards  encourage  judicious  use  of  fertilizer,  secondary  and micronutrients in along with organic manures & bio-fertilizers. Soil samples are processed through  standard  procedures  and  analyzed  for  12  parameters  viz,  pH,  electrical conductivity, Organic Carbon, available Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulphur, and micro-nutrients (Zinc, Coper, Iron, Manganese & Boron). SHCs provide information on:
- Nutrient status of soil
- Recommendations on appropriate dosage & type of fertilizers for improving soil health and its fertility.
- (b) & (c): The  details  of  funds  sanctioned,  allocated,  utilized  and  farmers  enrolled under this programme in Tamil Nadu during the last three years and the current year are as below:
- (d): The Soil Health & Fertility Scheme was introduced to issue Soil Health Cards to all farmers in the country with the aims and objectives as detailed:
- To issue soil health cards to all farmers of the country so as to provide a basis to address nutrient deficiencies  in  fertilization  practices  by  issuing  soil  test  based recommendations on Soil Health Cards.
- To  promote  Integrated  Nutrient  Management  (INM)  through  judicious  use  of chemical  fertilizers  including  secondary  and  micronutrients  in  conjunction  with organic manures & bio-fertilizers for improving soil health and its fertility.
- To  provide  advisory/  guidelines  to  farmers  through  Agricultural  Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Krishi Sakhis, etc.
- To generate village Soil fertility maps, using Soil Health Card data.

| Year    |   Allocation (Rs. in lakh) | Fund Sanctioned/ Released (Rs. in lakh)                                                                              | Fund Utilized (Rs. in lakh)                                                                                          | Number of farmers enrolled (as per SHC Portal)                                                                       |
|---------|----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2021-22 |                     294    | Fund could not be released due to pending compliance of Department of Expenditure guidelines by the State Government | Fund could not be released due to pending compliance of Department of Expenditure guidelines by the State Government | Fund could not be released due to pending compliance of Department of Expenditure guidelines by the State Government |
| 2022-23 |                     999.49 | 499.74                                                                                                               | 499.74                                                                                                               | 134050                                                                                                               |
| 2023-24 |                    1602    | 1602.00                                                                                                              | 1586.67                                                                                                              | 250386                                                                                                               |
| 2024-25 |                     927    | 352.00                                                                                                               | 234.67                                                                                                               | 338600                                                                                                               |
| Total   |                    3822.49 | 2453.74                                                                                                              | 2321.08                                                                                                              | 723036                                                                                                               |

Since 2014-15, 24.60 Crore Soil Health Cards have been generated across the country. Under  the  scheme,  1068  Static  Soil  Testing  Laboratories,  163  Mobile  Soil  Testing Laboratories,  6376  Mini  Soil  Testing  Laboratories  and  665  Village  Level  Soil  Testing Laboratories have been established across the country. To educate farmers, 6.8 lakh demonstrations, 93781 farmer's training programmes and 7425 farmer's mela have been organized across the country till date.

## (e) & (f): The details of amendments/ revamping of the aforementioned scheme are as follows :

i.  In  order  to  make  the  scheme  farmer-friendly,  the  Soil  Health  Card  portal  has  been revamped with the following features:

- Introduction of a mobile application for soil sample collection during 2023-24
- Introduced dashboards at National, State and District levels
- Real time information on soil sample collection & its testing and generation of Soil Health Card
- Farmers  can  download  Soil  Health  Cards  from  the  portal  by  entering  their registered mobile number.
- Introduction of fertilizer management, nutrient dashboard, heat maps of nutrients on the portal to guide the policymakers
- Capturing of geo-coordinates of farmers' field, from where samples are collected, through mobile application
- Introduction of QR code enabled sample collection
- Onboarding of all Soil Testing Labs on the Soil Health Card Portal.
- ii. Further, the scheme has been modified with the following features:
- Citizen Charter has been introduced to deliver the Soil Health Card.

Establishment of Soil Testing Labs has been decentralized - Entrepreneurs, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACs), Farm Producer Organizations (FPOs), etc. can run the Soil Testing Labs.

iii. The School Soil Health Program has been rolled out to involve school students of 1020 schools (Kendriya Vidyalayas - 210, Eklavya Model Residential Schools - 401, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas - 299, and State Government Schools- 110) across 33 States/UTs. Teachers and students have been trained for sample collection, testing and providing advisories to the farmers on the recommendations of Soil Health Card. Soil testing and advisory is compulsorily included in the field internship of Undergraduate, Post-graduate and Diploma students of Agricultural University and Rural Agricultural Work Experience programme (RAWE) Internship.

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