Lok Sabha Question No. 1905 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-01
Subject: Improving Soil Health
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Nishikant  Dubey

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1905

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1 st  AUGUST, 2023

## IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH

1905. SHRI MANOJ TIWARI: DR. NISHIKANT DUBEY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षिऔर षकसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has implemented any programme to improve the health of the soil and consequently increase the agricultural production; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) whether any guidelines have been issued to the farmers from time to time regarding the health of the soil and if so, the details thereof; (d) whether any training has been given to the farmers regarding proper use of fertilizers to improve soil quality; and (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षिऔर षकसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a)  &  (b):  The  Soil  Health  Cards  (SHCs)  Scheme   introduced  in  the  year  2014-15 wherein a massive programme of soil sampling, testing and generation of SHCs was launched  to assist State Governments to issue soil health cards to all farmers in the country. In Cycle-I (2015 to 2017), 10.74 crore grid based soil health cards have been distributed  to  farmers.  In  Cycle-II  (2017  to  2019),  12.19  crore  grid  based  soil  health cards have been distributed to farmers. So far 23.17 crore soil health cards have been distributed to farmers. The fund allocated under the scheme since 2015 to till date is around Rs. 1585 crore.

Soil  health  card  provides  information  to  farmers  on  nutrient  status  of  their  soil along  with  recommendation  on  appropriate  dosage  of  nutrients  to  be  applied  for improving soil  health  and  its  fertility.   This  scheme  has  been  merged  as  Soil  Health  & Fertility  of  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY)  from  the  year  2022-23  and  Budget Heads are also operated under RKVY Scheme.

The  main  objective  of  the  scheme  is  to  assist  states  in  promoting  Integrated Nutrient  Management  (INM)  through  judicious  use  of  chemical  fertilizers  including secondary and micro nutrients in conjunction with organic manures & bio-fertilizers for improving soil health and its productivity. Soil Samples is  processed following standard procedures  and  analyzed  for  various  parameters  viz,  pH,  electrical  conductivity  (EC), Organic Carbon, available Nitrogen,  Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulfur and micronutrients (Zinc,  Copper,  Iron,  Manganese  &  Boron).Soil  Health  Card  provides  information  to farmers on soil nutrient status (low, medium & high) of their soil and recommendation on appropriate dosage of nutrients (i.e. dose of fertilizer per kg per hectare) to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility that results in increase in agricultural production.

Government is also augmenting soil samples testing capacity in the country by setting up / strengthening of soil testing laboratories.    So far, 12108 new soil testing labs (779 static, 123 mobile, 8811 mini labs and 2395 village level labs) have been set up and strengthening of 864 existing soil testing labs have been sanctioned to the states.

(c) to (e): Soil  Health  Card  based  fertilizer  use  advisories  are  issued  to  farmers through State Governments, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and Agriculture Technology Management  Agencies  (ATMAs)  Network  from  time  to  time.    Demonstrations  about balanced use of fertilizers based on soil health card recommendations and training to the farmers on proper and integrated use of fertilizers are integral part of the scheme.

Since 2015, around 6.45 lakh demonstrations, 93781 farmer's trainings and 7425 farmers melas and 79 workshops have been organized through the State Governments under  the  Scheme.    Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  also  imparts training, organizes front line demonstrations to educate farmers on these aspects.

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