Lok Sabha Question No. 1174 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-11
Subject: Soil Health  Cards Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Anup Sanjay Dhotre

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1174

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 TH  FEBRUARY, 2025

## SOIL HEALTH CARDS SCHEME

1174. SHRI ANUP SANJAY DHOTRE:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी 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;

(c) whether the Government has set any target to cover all the farmers under the scheme in the country and if so, the details thereof and the achievement of the scheme till date; and

(d)  the  details  of  the  funds  provided  by  the  Union  Government  to  the  States  along  with  their utilization reported by the States under the said scheme since its inception?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c):   Government is implementing the Soil Health & Fertility Scheme since 2014-15 with the aim  of  assisting  States/Union  Territories  in  providing  Soil  Health  Cards  (SHCs)  for  all  farm holdings. The SHC promotes balanced and integrated nutrient management, give recommendations  on  the  judicious  use  of  chemical  fertilizers, including  secondary  and micronutrients, in conjunction with organic manures and bio-fertilizers. As per the guidelines, State Governments/UTs prepare yearly action plans that indicate the number of land holdings to be covered in selected districts for number of soil samples to be drawn and tested.

The ideal  time  for  collecting  soil  samples  is  between  the  harvest  of  one  crop  and  the sowing/planting of the next, when the fields are vacant. Samples are collected through a mobile application, with a unique QR Code and geo-tagging. After testing in soil laboratories, SHCs are issued to farmers.

The year-wise and State/UT-wise details of SHCs issued to farmers since the inception of the scheme are provided in Annexure-I. The details of soil sample collected, tested and SHCs generated as per annual action plan received from various State Governments/UTs during the last two years, are given in Annexure-II.

(d): Under the scheme, Rs.1710 crore funds have been released to States/UTs since its inception. Against  this  release,  utilization  of  Rs.1368  crore  has  been  reported  by  States/UTs  as  on 06.02.2025. The State/UTs wise details are at Annexure-III.

Annexure-I Details of Soil Health Cards issued to farmers as per Annual Work Plan of Soil Health & Fertility scheme

| Sl. No.                                                                     |                                                                             | No. of SHCs issued to Farmers                                               | No. of SHCs issued to Farmers                                               | No. of SHCs issued to Farmers                                               | No. of SHCs issued to Farmers                                               | No. of SHCs issued to Farmers                                               | No. of SHCs issued to Farmers                                               | No. of SHCs issued to Farmers                                               | No. of SHCs issued to Farmers                                               | Total                                                                       |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                                                     | States/UTs                                                                  | Cycle-I (2015-17)                                                           | Cycle-II (2017-19)                                                          | 2019-20                                                                     | 2020-21                                                                     | 2021-22                                                                     | 2022-23                                                                     | 2023-24                                                                     | 2024-25                                                                     | Total                                                                       |
| 1                                                                           | Andaman & Nicobar                                                           | 10000                                                                       | 9540                                                                        | 1007                                                                        | 3000                                                                        |                                                                             | 2850                                                                        | 604                                                                         | 469                                                                         | 27470                                                                       |
| 2                                                                           | Andhra Pradesh                                                              | 7455204                                                                     | 6927733                                                                     | 226487                                                                      | -                                                                           |                                                                             | -                                                                           | 258666                                                                      | 333477                                                                      | 15201567                                                                    |
| 3                                                                           | Arunachal Pradesh                                                           | 20532                                                                       | 44256                                                                       | 5432                                                                        | 53                                                                          |                                                                             | -                                                                           | 2275                                                                        | 47842                                                                       | 120390                                                                      |
| 4                                                                           | Assam                                                                       | 1300901                                                                     | 1296197                                                                     | 67860                                                                       | -                                                                           |                                                                             | -                                                                           | 294860                                                                      | 414215                                                                      | 3374033                                                                     |
| 5                                                                           | Bihar                                                                       | 6469650                                                                     | 6277942                                                                     | 123866                                                                      | 333359                                                                      |                                                                             | 1510587                                                                     | 249922                                                                      | 335342                                                                      | 15300668                                                                    |
| 6                                                                           | Chhattisgarh                                                                | 3890709                                                                     | 5514508                                                                     | 65341                                                                       | 5317                                                                        |                                                                             | -                                                                           | 160922                                                                      | 173811                                                                      | 9810608                                                                     |
| 7                                                                           | Dadra& Nagar Haveli and Daman& Diu                                          | 2222                                                                        | 12994                                                                       | 581                                                                         | -                                                                           |                                                                             | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | 15797                                                                       |
| 8                                                                           | Goa                                                                         | 25000                                                                       | 19550                                                                       | 2909                                                                        | 6556                                                                        |                                                                             | 9033                                                                        | 8783                                                                        | 3619                                                                        | 75450                                                                       |
| 9                                                                           | Gujarat                                                                     | 5108923                                                                     | 8671152                                                                     | 63591                                                                       | -                                                                           |                                                                             | 88422                                                                       | 177105                                                                      | 369500                                                                      | 14478693                                                                    |
| 10                                                                          | Haryana                                                                     | 4227238                                                                     | 4143900                                                                     | 25605                                                                       | 18972                                                                       |                                                                             | 600000                                                                      | 297772                                                                      | 461453                                                                      | 9774940                                                                     |
| 11                                                                          | Himachal Pradesh                                                            | 385011                                                                      | 960765                                                                      | 19671                                                                       | 25152                                                                       | For                                                                         | 24134                                                                       | 12370                                                                       | 74083                                                                       | 1501186                                                                     |
| 12                                                                          | Jammu& Kashmir                                                              | 692062                                                                      | 1014182                                                                     | 56742                                                                       | 77519                                                                       | 2021-22, no fund                                                            | 186890                                                                      | 57813                                                                       | 79502                                                                       | 2164710                                                                     |
| 13                                                                          | Jharkhand                                                                   | 637507                                                                      | 263815                                                                      | 24037                                                                       | -                                                                           | for Soil                                                                    | -                                                                           | 111010                                                                      | 177033                                                                      | 1213402                                                                     |
| 14                                                                          | Karnataka                                                                   | 7832189                                                                     | 9073145                                                                     | 73221                                                                       | 105546                                                                      | Samples                                                                     | 177359                                                                      | 221427                                                                      | 215880                                                                      | 17698767                                                                    |
| 15                                                                          | Kerala                                                                      | 763435                                                                      | 2319002                                                                     | 126540                                                                      | 118022                                                                      | were                                                                        | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | 72493                                                                       | 3399492                                                                     |
| 16                                                                          | Ladakh                                                                      | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | 1718                                                                        | -                                                                           | allocated                                                                   | -                                                                           | 442                                                                         | 131                                                                         | 2291                                                                        |
| 17                                                                          | Madhya Pradesh                                                              | 8872377                                                                     | 8907385                                                                     | 127585                                                                      | 168454                                                                      | to States.                                                                  | 168208                                                                      | 452841                                                                      | 674267                                                                      | 19371117                                                                    |
| 18                                                                          | Maharashtra                                                                 | 12977232                                                                    | 13067735                                                                    | 201837                                                                      | -                                                                           |                                                                             | 206153                                                                      | 239378                                                                      | 302082                                                                      | 26994417                                                                    |
| 19                                                                          | Manipur                                                                     | 114522                                                                      | 114522                                                                      | 10010                                                                       | 4147                                                                        |                                                                             | 7800                                                                        | -                                                                           | 339                                                                         | 251340                                                                      |
| 20                                                                          | Meghalaya                                                                   | 209561                                                                      | 216659                                                                      | 3243                                                                        | 14195                                                                       |                                                                             | -                                                                           | 13000                                                                       | 10542                                                                       | 467200                                                                      |
| 21                                                                          | Mizoram                                                                     | 11986                                                                       | 16458                                                                       | 2119                                                                        | -                                                                           |                                                                             | 2857                                                                        | 5170                                                                        | 5101                                                                        | 43691                                                                       |
| 22                                                                          | Nagaland                                                                    | 184797                                                                      | 12000                                                                       | 27304                                                                       | -                                                                           |                                                                             | 14800                                                                       | 14752                                                                       | 109607                                                                      | 363260                                                                      |
| 23                                                                          | Odisha                                                                      | 2374233                                                                     | 2047308                                                                     | 440927                                                                      | 142078                                                                      |                                                                             | 325484                                                                      | 14163                                                                       | 309183                                                                      | 5653376                                                                     |
| 24                                                                          | Puducherry                                                                  | 19594                                                                       | 12089                                                                       | 2508                                                                        | 3006                                                                        |                                                                             | -                                                                           | 3002                                                                        | 1162                                                                        | 41361                                                                       |
| 25                                                                          | Punjab                                                                      | 1251726                                                                     | 1160568                                                                     | 19196                                                                       | 19196                                                                       |                                                                             | 168745                                                                      | 68672                                                                       | 31409                                                                       | 2719512                                                                     |
| 26                                                                          | Rajasthan                                                                   | 6886000                                                                     | 12079000                                                                    | 104774                                                                      | -                                                                           |                                                                             | 154429                                                                      | 268495                                                                      | 327720                                                                      | 19820418                                                                    |
| 27                                                                          | Sikkim                                                                      | 46000                                                                       | 66000                                                                       | 2936                                                                        | -                                                                           |                                                                             | 3000                                                                        | 15009                                                                       | 57862                                                                       | 190807                                                                      |
| 28                                                                          | Tamil Nadu                                                                  | 7000000                                                                     | 7016654                                                                     | 58317                                                                       | 357000                                                                      |                                                                             | 134050                                                                      | 250400                                                                      | 373237                                                                      | 15189658                                                                    |
| 29                                                                          | Telangana                                                                   | 5720737                                                                     | 4842509                                                                     | 110664                                                                      | 165527                                                                      |                                                                             | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | 28852                                                                       | 10868289                                                                    |
| 30                                                                          | Tripura                                                                     | 117723                                                                      | 158337                                                                      | 15002                                                                       | 6816                                                                        |                                                                             | 20000                                                                       | 15212                                                                       | 12088                                                                       | 345178                                                                      |
| 31                                                                          | Uttar Pradesh                                                               | 17014573                                                                    | 20354551                                                                    | 255517                                                                      | 28109                                                                       |                                                                             | 392257                                                                      | 485022                                                                      | 826000                                                                      | 39356029                                                                    |
| 32                                                                          | Uttarakhand                                                                 | 750494                                                                      | 882797                                                                      | 13645                                                                       | 81876                                                                       |                                                                             |                                                                             | 52368                                                                       | 62614                                                                       | 1869099                                                                     |
| 33                                                                          | West Bengal                                                                 | 5040510                                                                     | 4423049                                                                     | 91360                                                                       |                                                                             |                                                                             | 25305                                                                       | 326095                                                                      | 135182                                                                      | 10016196                                                                    |
|                                                                             | Total                                                                       | 10,74,12,648                                                                |                                                                             |                                                                             | -                                                                           |                                                                             | -                                                                           |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |
| 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 | 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 | 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 | 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 | 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 | 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 | 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 | 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 | 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 | 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 | 12,19,26,302 23,71,552 16,83,900 42,22,363 40,77,550 60,26,097 24,77,20,412 |

Details of target, samples collection and generation of soil health card during the last two years (2023-24 and 2024-25) under the Soil Health & Fertility scheme

(Numbers)

| Sl. No.   | States/UTs        | 2023-24                       | 2023-24                       | 2023-24                       | 2024-25             | 2024-25             | 2024-25                          |
|-----------|-------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|---------------------|---------------------|----------------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | States/UTs        | Target                        | Sample Collected              | SHCs generated                | Target              | Sample Collected    | SHCs generated(as on 06.02.2025) |
| 1         | Andaman& Nicobar  | 1000                          | 913                           | 604                           | 10000               | 8832                | 469                              |
| 2         | Andhra Pradesh    | 647453                        | 278564                        | 258666                        | 450000              | 429602              | 333477                           |
| 3         | Arunachal Pradesh | 2250                          | 2320                          | 2275                          | 100000              | 88280               | 47842                            |
| 4         | Assam             | 298482                        | 298286                        | 294860                        | 613033              | 592409              | 414215                           |
| 5         | Bihar             | 200000                        | 249922                        | 249922                        | 500000              | 464109              | 335342                           |
| 6         | Chhattisgarh      | 160000                        | 161530                        | 160922                        | 175000              | 174316              | 173811                           |
| 7         | DN&H And DD       | -                             | -                             | -                             | 3041                | -                   | -                                |
| 8         | Goa               | 9400                          | 9050                          | 8783                          | 12000               | 9895                | 3619                             |
| 9         | Gujarat           | 180650                        | 178664                        | 177105                        | 625513              | 614358              | 369500                           |
| 10        | Haryana           | 300000                        | 299522                        | 297772                        | 600000              | 578241              | 461453                           |
| 11        | Himachal Pradesh  | 12000                         | 12370                         | 12370                         | 74000               | 74084               | 74083                            |
| 12        | Jammu And Kashmir | 54000                         | 58429                         | 57813                         | 81333               | 79898               | 79502                            |
| 13        | Jharkhand         | 123400                        | 120034                        | 111010                        | 238370              | 214877              | 177033                           |
| 14        | Karnataka         | 284829                        | 221427                        | 221427                        | 268000              | 216236              | 215880                           |
| 15        | Kerala            | 136800                        | -                             | -                             | 112000              | 109905              | 72493                            |
| 16        | Ladakh            | 4000                          | 3266                          | 442                           | 5000                | 2898                | 131                              |
| 17        | Madhya Pradesh    | 1246700                       | 553221                        | 452841                        | 1245111             | 991070              | 674267                           |
| 18        | Maharashtra       | 296000                        | 255776                        | 239378                        | 301000              | 509140              | 302082                           |
| 19        | Manipur           | 15000                         | 164                           | -                             | 32527               | 390                 | 339                              |
| 20        | Meghalaya         | 13000                         | 13000                         | 13000                         | 25000               | 16562               | 10542                            |
| 21        | Mizoram           | 5171                          | 5170                          | 5170                          | 30000               | 18534               | 5101                             |
| 22        | Nagaland          | 14800                         | 14831                         | 14752                         | 111000              | 110576              | 109607                           |
| 23        | Odisha            | 570000                        | 100012                        | 14163                         | 570000              | 309208              | 309183                           |
| 24        | Puducherry        | 3000                          | 3002                          | 3002                          | 3000                | 2898                | 1162                             |
| 25        | Punjab            | 150000                        | 119791                        | 68672                         | 250000              | 243199              | 31409                            |
| 26        | Rajasthan         | 300000                        | 272920                        | 268495                        | 353000              | 340959              | 327720                           |
| 27        | Sikkim            | 15000                         | 15009                         | 15009                         | 60000               | 58765               | 57862                            |
| 28        | Tamil Nadu        | 250400                        | 250630                        | 250400                        | 400000              | 399980              | 373237                           |
| 29        | Telangana         | 300000                        | -                             | -                             | 159000              | 113679              | 28852                            |
| 30        | Tripura           | 20000                         | 16842                         | 15212                         | 40000               | 29922               | 12088                            |
| 31        | Uttar Pradesh     | 750000                        | 485035                        | 485022                        | 826000              | 826000              | 826000                           |
| 32        | Uttarakhand       | 52368                         | 52368                         | 52368                         | 100570              | 100510              | 62614                            |
| 33        | West Bengal       | 333900                        | 332969                        | 326095                        | 400000              | 276241              | 135182                           |
| Total     | Total             | 67,49,603 43,85,037 40,77,550 | 67,49,603 43,85,037 40,77,550 | 67,49,603 43,85,037 40,77,550 | 87,73,498 80,05,573 | 87,73,498 80,05,573 | 60,26,097                        |

Details  of  State/UT-wise  funds  released  since  2014-15  to  2024-25  and  utilization/expenditure reported by States/UTs under the Soil Health & Fertility scheme

(Rs.in lakh) (as on 06.02.2025)

| Sl. No.   | Name of the State                  | Released    | Expenditure   |
|-----------|------------------------------------|-------------|---------------|
| 1         | Andaman& Nicobar                   | 57.48       | 39.48         |
| 2         | Andhra Pradesh                     | 12327.11    | 10354.23      |
| 3         | Arunachal Pradesh                  | 971.49      | 913.49        |
| 4         | Assam                              | 7338.57     | 3970.57       |
| 5         | Bihar                              | 6525.87     | 5891.30       |
| 6         | Chhattisgarh                       | 5134.24     | 4476.72       |
| 7         | Dadra &Nagar Haveli and Daman &Diu | 10.41       | 8.70          |
| 8         | Goa                                | 328.73      | 237.54        |
| 9         | Gujarat                            | 6533.45     | 5622.45       |
| 10        | Haryana                            | 4769.06     | 4165.07       |
| 11        | Himachal Pradesh                   | 2010.04     | 1818.05       |
| 12        | Jammu& Kashmir                     | 2416.02     | 2163.02       |
| 13        | Jharkhand                          | 2385.26     | 608.91        |
| 14        | Karnataka                          | 11807.64    | 9684.84       |
| 15        | Kerala                             | 1098.89     | 855.89        |
| 16        | Ladakh                             | 87.34       | 78.34         |
| 17        | Madhya Pradesh                     | 17908.72    | 15389.53      |
| 18        | Maharashtra                        | 14323.87    | 13204.87      |
| 19        | Manipur                            | 856.64      | 761.64        |
| 20        | Meghalaya                          | 935.61      | 606.10        |
| 21        | Mizoram                            | 594.01      | 462.01        |
| 22        | Nagaland                           | 6018.61     | 4124.61       |
| 23        | Odisha                             | 5205.59     | 4896.59       |
| 24        | Puducherry                         | 144.04      | 134.04        |
| 25        | Punjab                             | 2932.35     | 1524.20       |
| 26        | Rajasthan                          | 7934.93     | 5869.41       |
| 27        | Sikkim                             | 1751.28     | 1351.28       |
| 28        | Tamil Nadu                         | 10140.77    | 6632.77       |
| 29        | Telangana                          | 8030.11     | 4683.33       |
| 30        | Tripura                            | 1561.62     | 1091.23       |
| 31        | Uttar Pradesh                      | 20770.75    | 18563.84      |
| 32        | Uttarakhand                        | 2419.98     | 1999.89       |
| 33        | West Bengal                        | 5672.25     | 4669.52       |
| Total     |                                    | 1,71,002.69 | 1,36,853.42   |

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