Lok Sabha Question No. 274 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-04
Subject: Implementation of the New Soil Health Card Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Vishnu Dayal Ram

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 274

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 4 TH  FEBRUARY, 2025

## IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME

## 274. SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:

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

- (a) the current status and progress of the New Soil Health Card Scheme since its rollout in April 2023, including the number of Soil Health Cards generated;
- (b) whether training sessions have been conducted for State officials regarding the new Geographic Information System (GIS), if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the progress made in establishing Village Level Soil Testing Labs (VLSTLs), including the number of entrepreneurs or Self-Help Groups (SHGs) enrolled under this initiative; and
- (d) the current status of soil mapping, including identified priority areas?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a): Soil  Health  and  Fertility  Scheme  has  been  implemented  by  the  Government since 2014-15.  So  far,  24.74  crore  Soil  Health  Cards(SHC)  have  been  generated  across  the country and funds amounting to ₹1706.18 crore have been released to various States/UTs. Till date, 8272 Soil Testing Labs (1068 Static Soil Testing Labs, 163 Mobile Soil Testing Labs, 6376 Mini Soil Testing Labs and 665 Village Level Soil Testing Labs) have been established across the country.
- (b): The Soil and Land Use Survey of India, a subordinate office under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, organizes short-term training courses (3 days) on topics such as  the  application  of  soil  databases  through  Geographic  Information  System  (GIS),  Soil Health Management, Integrated Watershed Management (IWMP), Geo-Spatial Technology for Natural Resources Management, and Soil Survey & Mapping. These training programs are designed for officers and officials from various user agencies in different States and Union Territories. In 2024, training program was conducted for officers from the Agriculture, Forest,

and Soil  & Water Conservation departments of the Government of West Bengal and the North-Eastern States, and in 2025 for the officers of Agriculture Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir.

(c): Till  date,  665  Village-level  Soil  Testing  Labs  (VSTL)  have  been  established  in  17 States. These include those set up by the entrepreneurs and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), but their data is not maintained centrally.

(d): So far, the Soil and Land Use Survey of India has completed soil mapping at 1:10,000 scale  for  approximately  290  lakh  hectares,  covering  40  aspirational  districts.  To  promote judicious  use  of  fertilizer  by  farmers,  the  Soil  and  Land  Use  Survey  of  India  has  also generated 1,987 village-level soil fertility maps for 21 States and Union Territories.

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