Lok Sabha Question No. 1520 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: Beneficiaries of Soil Health Card Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1520

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29 TH  JULY, 2025

## BENEFICIARIES OF SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME

## 1520. SHRI GURMEET SINGH MEET HAYER:

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

- (a)    the farmers who have benefitted from the Soil Health Card Scheme since its launch, year wise, State-wise and district-wise data;
- (b)    the extent impact of the scheme had on soil fertility, fertilizer usage and overall crop yield;
- (c)    whether any assessment has been conducted to measure its success or challenges;
- (d)    the  number  of  Soil  Health  Cards  that  have  been  distributed  in  Punjab  and  across  the country, how frequently are they updated for farmers;
- (e)   the percentage of farmers actively using the recommendations provided in the Soil Health Cards;
- (f)    the  challenges  that  have  been  identified  in  the  implementation  of  the  scheme  and  the corrective measures being taken; and
- (g)   whether there are any plans to enhance or modify the scheme to improve its effectiveness and farmer participation, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): State wise, year wise details of Soil Health Cards (SHCs) issued to farmers since inception of Soil Health and Fertility Scheme is at Annexure. District wise details of generation of Soil Health Card from the year 2023-24 to 2025-26 is available at SHC portal https://www.soilhealth.dac.gov.in/scheme-progress under state wise drill down option.

(b) & (c):  National Productivity Council (NPC), New Delhi carried out a study 'Soil Testing Infrastructure for Faster Delivery of SHC in India' in 2017 in 76 districts of 19 States covering 170 soil testing labs and 1700 farmers. As a result of application of fertilizer and micro-nutrients as  per  SHC  recommendations,  there  has  been  a  decrease  of  use  of  chemical  fertilizer application in the range of 8-10% was found. Overall 5-6% increase in the yield of crops was reported, due to application of fertilizer and micro nutrients as per SHC. An impact study of Soil Health & Fertility Scheme (November 2017) was conducted by National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad. As per report, about 62.8% of the farmers use fertilizers according to the recommendations on the SHC.  The cost per acre by reduced by 4 to 10 % due to low fertilizer use. Crop yields increased for majority of the crops, although moderately.  Overall,  paddy  farmers  reduced  use  of  urea  by  9%,  Diammonium  Phosphate (DAP)/Single Super Phosphate by 7%, but increased use of Potassium by 20%.

(d) & (e): 25.17 crore SHCs have been distributed across the country since inception of the Scheme till date (i.e.  24.07.2025). 28.21 lakh SHCs have been distributed in Punjab till date (i.e.  24.07.2025).  Diagnostic  soil  health  assessment  of  farmer  fields  are  taken  taken  up periodically, to issue SHCs once in a three years.

(f) & (g):  In order to increase efficiency, provision has been made in SHC portal for samples registration, test result entry, automatic fertilizer dosages recommendations and generation of soil health cards. Under the scheme, regular awareness programmes are conducted by States under  the  scheme  to  educate  farmers  to  use  SHC  recommendations.    93,781  farmer's trainings,  6.80  lakh  demonstrations,  7425  farmer's  melas/  campaigns  on  soil  health  card recommendations  have  been  organized  across  the  country.    Agri-extension  worker  like Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Krishi Vigyan Kendras are also involved in  knowledge  dissemination  to  farmers  about  SHC  recommendations.  Further,  under  this scheme the component of School soil health programme is also implemented in 1020 schools to inculcate importance of soil in young mind of students to ensure behavioral change. Under the programme, 1.32 lakh students are enrolled to undertake soil sampling, testing, generation of SHCs and educating farmers about judicious use of fertilizers as per SHC recommendations. Government has upscaled the programme in 5000 PM Shree Schools.

Annexure State-wise Soil Health Cards issued to the Farmers under Soil Health & Fertility of PM-RKVY

|         |                                     | 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   | No. of SHCs issued to Farmers   |          |
|---------|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------|
| Sl. No. | States/UTs                          | Cycle-I (2015-17)               | Cycle-II (2017-19)              | 2019-20                         | 2020-21                         | 2021-22                         | 2022-23                         | 2023-24                         | 2024-25                         | 2025-26                         | Total    |
| 1       | Andaman& Nicobar                    | 10000                           | 9540                            | 1007                            | 3000                            |                                 | 2850                            | 604                             | 9999                            | 108                             | 37108    |
| 2       | Andhra Pradesh                      | 7455204                         | 6927733                         | 226487                          | 0                               |                                 | 0                               | 259929                          | 449753                          | 63175                           | 15382281 |
| 3       | Arunachal Pradesh                   | 20532                           | 44256                           | 5432                            | 53                              |                                 | 0                               | 2275                            | 100020                          | 734                             | 173302   |
| 4       | Assam                               | 1300901                         | 1296197                         | 67860                           | 0                               |                                 | 0                               | 295182                          | 1011791                         | 31127                           | 4003058  |
| 5       | Bihar                               | 6469650                         | 6277942                         | 123866                          | 333359                          |                                 | 1510587                         | 250053                          | 500000                          | 26452                           | 15491909 |
| 6       | Chhattisgarh                        | 3890709                         | 5514508                         | 65341                           | 5317                            |                                 | 0                               | 160922                          | 174876                          | 56741                           | 9868414  |
| 7       | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman& Diu | 2222                            | 12994                           | 581                             | 0                               |                                 | 0                               | 0                               | 0                               | 0                               | 15797    |
| 8       | Goa                                 | 25000                           | 19550                           | 2909                            | 6556                            |                                 | 9033                            | 8783                            | 8987                            | 853                             | 81671    |
| 9       | Gujarat                             | 5108923                         | 8671152                         | 63591                           | 0                               |                                 | 88422                           | 178286                          | 619520                          | 97                              | 14729991 |
| 10      | Haryana                             | 4227238                         | 4143900                         | 25605                           | 18972                           |                                 | 600000                          | 297772                          | 571953                          | 0                               | 9885440  |
| 11      | Himachal Pradesh                    | 385011                          | 960765                          | 19671                           | 25152                           |                                 | 24134                           | 12370                           | 74084                           | 20340                           | 1521527  |
| 12      | Jammu& Kashmir                      | 692062                          | 1014182                         | 56742                           | 77519                           | For 2021-22,                    | 186890                          | 57905                           | 80257                           | 15704                           | 2181261  |
| 13      | Jharkhand                           | 637507                          | 263815                          | 24037                           | 0                               | no fund for Soil                | 0                               | 113195                          | 234988                          | 21305                           | 1294847  |
| 14      | Karnataka                           | 7832189                         | 9073145                         | 73221                           | 105546                          | Samples                         | 177359                          | 221427                          | 268000                          | 84                              | 17750971 |
| 15      | Kerala                              | 763435                          | 2319002                         | 126540                          | 118022                          | were allocated                  | 0                               | 0                               | 103363                          | 0                               | 3430362  |
| 16      | Ladakh                              | 0                               | 0                               | 1718                            | 0                               | to                              | 0                               | 931                             | 138                             | 0                               | 2787     |
| 17      | Madhya Pradesh                      | 8872377                         | 8907385                         | 127585                          | 168454                          | States.                         | 168208                          | 467661                          | 1106994                         | 197865                          | 20016529 |
| 18      | Maharashtra                         | 12977232                        | 13067735                        | 201837                          | 0                               |                                 | 206153                          | 240246                          | 487707                          | 14950                           | 27195860 |
| 19      | Manipur                             | 114522                          | 114522                          | 10010                           | 4147                            |                                 | 7800                            | 0                               | 339                             | 0                               | 251340   |
| 20      | Meghalaya                           | 209561                          | 216659                          | 3243                            | 14195                           |                                 | 0                               | 13000                           | 24999                           | 279                             | 481936   |
| 21      | Mizoram                             | 11986                           | 16458                           | 2119                            | 0                               |                                 | 2857                            | 5170                            | 29727                           | 0                               | 68317    |
| 22      | Nagaland                            | 184797                          | 12000                           | 27304                           | 0                               |                                 | 14800                           | 14752                           | 110977                          | 1                               | 364631   |
| 23      | Odisha                              | 2374233                         | 2047308                         | 440927                          | 142078                          |                                 | 325484                          | 14163                           | 498763                          | 14453                           | 5857409  |
| 24      | Puducherry                          | 19594                           | 12089                           | 2508                            | 3006                            |                                 | 0                               | 3002                            | 3000                            | 43                              | 43242    |
| 25      | Punjab                              | 1251726                         | 1160568                         | 19196                           | 19196                           |                                 | 168745                          | 87944                           | 96592                           | 17324                           | 2821291  |
| 26      | Rajasthan                           | 6886000                         | 12079000                        | 104774                          | 0                               |                                 | 154429                          | 268579                          | 340990                          | 130946                          | 19964718 |
| 27      | Sikkim                              | 46000                           | 66000                           | 2936                            | 0                               |                                 | 3000                            | 15035                           | 60000                           | 1672                            | 194643   |
| 28      | Tamil Nadu                          | 7000000                         | 7016654                         | 58317                           | 357000                          |                                 | 134050                          | 250400                          | 400000                          | 82607                           | 15299028 |
| 29      | Telangana                           | 5720737                         | 4842509                         | 110664                          | 165527                          |                                 | 0                               | 0                               | 139575                          | 5245                            | 10984257 |
| 30      | Tripura                             | 117723                          | 158337                          | 15002                           | 6816                            |                                 |                                 |                                 | 36661                           | 370                             | 370121   |
| 31      | Uttar Pradesh                       | 17014573                        |                                 | 255517                          |                                 |                                 | 20000                           | 15212                           |                                 |                                 | 39740308 |
| 32 33   | Uttarakhand West Bengal             | 750494 5040510                  | 20354551 4423049                | 91360                           | 28109 0                         |                                 | 392257 0                        | 485022 326095                   | 826001 370031                   | 384278 28347                    | 10279392 |
|         |                                     |                                 | 882797                          | 13645                           | 81876                           |                                 | 25305                           | 52368                           | 100913                          | 9701                            | 1917099  |

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