Lok Sabha Question No. 166 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-11
Subject: Implementation of Soil Health Card Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Rajesh Mishra, Shri Praveen Patel

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 166

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 th  MARCH, 2025

## IMPLEMENTATION OF SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME

*166. Dr. RAJESH MISHRA : SHRI PRAVEEN PATEL: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष और ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state: (a) the manner in which the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme has improved soil fertility and agricultural productivity over the last decade; (b) the manner in which the programme has impacted the pattern of fertilizer usage by farmers and reduced the dependence of farmers on chemical fertilizers; (c) the various new measures or reforms being incorporated in the scheme for the next phase of the said SHC scheme; (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  that  farmers  understand  the recommendations given in the SHC and use them effectively; (e) the details and number of such SHC cards issued in Lok Sabha Constituency of Sidhi in Madhya Pradesh and Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh along with Rajasthan including Bhilwara during the last three years; and (f) the details of reforms undertaken in agricultural productivity year and District-wise? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष और ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

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

## STATEMENT  IN  RESPECT  OF  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. 166 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 11.03.2025 REGARDING 'IMPLEMENTATION OF SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME'.

(a) & (b): Soil Health & Fertility Scheme assists 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  are  processed  following  standard  procedures  and analyzed  for  various  parameters  viz,  pH,  electrical  conductivity  (EC),  Organic  Carbon, available Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulphur and micronutrients (Zinc, Copper, Iron, Manganese  &  Boron).  Soil  Health  Card  (SHC)  provides  information  to  farmers  on  soil nutrient  status  (low,  medium  &  high)  and  recommendation  on  appropriate  dosage  of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health to  increase agricultural production.

An impact study of Soil Health & Fertility scheme (November 2017) was conducted by National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad. The major  findings  indicate  that  there  is  reduction  in  fertilizer  use,  especially  Nitrogen  and increase in bio-fertilizers and other micro-nutrients use. Overall, paddy farmers reduced use of urea by 9%, Di Ammonium Phosphate / Single Super Phosphate by 7% but increased use of Potassium by 20%. Balanced use of fertilizers is gaining ground as per the findings.

National Productivity Council carried out a study on 'Soil Testing Infrastructure for Faster Delivery of Soil Health Card in India' in 2017. The study found that application of fertilizer and micronutrients based on SHC recommendations resulted in 8-10% of savings and overall increase in the yield of crops to the tune of 5-6%.

(c): The various reforms incorporated in Soil Health & Fertility 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  capturing  geo coordinates of farmers field.
- Real time information on soil sample collection, testing and generation of SHC.
- Farmers can download SHCs  from the portal by entering registered mobile number.
- Introduction of fertilizer management, nutrient dashboard, heat maps of nutrients on the portal to guide the policymakers
- Introduction of QR code enabled sample collection
- Onboarding of all Soil Testing Labs on the SHC Portal.
- ii. Citizen Charter has been introduced to deliver SHC.

iii. The School Soil Health Program has been rolled out to involve school students.

iv. 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.

- (d): Under  Soil  Health  &  Fertility  Scheme,  around  7  Lakh  demonstrations,  93,781 farmer's  training  programmes  and  7,425  farmer's  mela  have  been  organized  on  the balanced use of fertilizers to improve soil quality. Advisories are issued to farmers through Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). In  addition,  70,002  Krishi  Sakhis  are  trained  to  support  farmers  in  understanding  SHCs among other issues.
- (e): The details and number of such SHC cards issued in Lok Sabha Constituency of Sidhi in Madhya Pradesh and Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh along with Rajasthan including Bhilwara during the last three years (2022-23, 2023-24 & 2024-25) are as under:
- (f): SHC is an important reform initiative undertaken in agricultural productivity. Rs.1721 crore funds under this scheme have been released and 24.84 crore SHCs have been issued to  farmers  in  various  districts.  The  district  wise  details  are  available  at  SHC  portal https://www.soilhealth.dac.gov.in/home.

| Name of Lok Sabha Constituency   |   Soil Health Card issued in last 3 years |
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh            |                                     54410 |
| Phulpur, Uttar Pradesh           |                                     30852 |
| Bhilwara, Rajasthan              |                                     32227 |

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