Lok Sabha Question No. 1507 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: Distribution and Impact of Soil Health Cards
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Tatkare Sunil Dattatrey

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1507

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29 TH JULY, 2025

## DISTRIBUTION AND IMPACT OF SOIL HEALTH CARDS

1507. SHRI TATKARE SUNIL DATTATREY:

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

(a) the number of Soil Health Cards distributed to farmers in Maharashtra during the year 2024-25, State-wise and district-wise in the State of Maharashtra including Raigad Lok Sabha Constituency; (b) the  number  of  soil  samples  collected  and  tested  in  Maharashtra  during  the 2024-25,district-wise especially for Raigad PC; (c) the impact of the  Soil Health Card Scheme on crop yield and fertilizer usage among farmers in Maharashtra; and (d) whether  the  Government  has  faced  any  challenges  in  implementing  the scheme in remote and tribal areas of the State and if so, the details of action taken to

- address these challenges?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b): The district wise details of soil samples collected, tested and Soil Health Cards (SHCs) distributed to farmers in Maharashtra during the year 2024-25 are at Annexure.  In  Raigad  Lok  Sabha  Constituency,  14551  soil  samples  were  collected, 14510 soil samples were tested & SHCs were distributed during 2024-25.

(c): Till date, a total of 2.75 Crore SHCs  have  been  distributed to farmers in Maharashtra.    Government  of  Maharashtra  has  informed  that  the  scheme  has  enabled farmers to use appropriate fertilizers in a balanced manner. This has led to an increase in crop yields. National Productivity Council (NPC), New Delhi carried out a study 'Soil Testing

Infrastructure for Faster Delivery of Soil Health Card in India' in 2017 in 76 districts of 19 States  (including  Maharashtra)  covering  170  soil  testing  labs  and  1700  farmers.  Study reveals  that  as  a  result  of  application  of  fertilizer  and  micro-nutrients  as  per  SHC recommendations, there has been a decrease of use of chemical fertilizer in the range of 810%. Overall 5-6% increase in the yield of crops was reported due to application of fertilizer and micro nutrients as per recommendations in SHC.

(d): No major challenges are faced in implementation of the scheme in remote and tribal areas in Maharashtra.

Annexure District wise details of soil samples collected, tested and Soil Health Cards (SHCs)

distributed to farmers in Maharashtra during the year 2024-25

| Sl. No.   | District                  |   Number of Soil Samples Collected |   Number of Soil Samples Tested and Soil Health Cards issued to Farmers |
|-----------|---------------------------|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | Ahilyanagar               |                              19500 |                                                                   19500 |
| 2         | Akola                     |                              13501 |                                                                   12339 |
| 3         | Amravati                  |                              19417 |                                                                   11646 |
| 4         | Beed                      |                              17000 |                                                                   14174 |
| 5         | Bhandara                  |                              13268 |                                                                   13248 |
| 6         | Buldhana                  |                              18500 |                                                                   18500 |
| 7         | Chandrapur                |                              21497 |                                                                   21477 |
| 8         | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar |                              15118 |                                                                   15089 |
| 9         | Dharashiv                 |                              14999 |                                                                   14999 |
| 10        | Dhule                     |                              11000 |                                                                   12663 |
| 11        | Gadchiroli                |                              18000 |                                                                   16036 |
| 12        | Gondia                    |                              11414 |                                                                   10876 |
| 13        | Hingoli                   |                              11498 |                                                                   11430 |
| 14        | Jalgaon                   |                              21433 |                                                                   19854 |
| 15        | Jalna                     |                              15000 |                                                                   15000 |
| 16        | Kolhapur                  |                              15624 |                                                                   12695 |
| 17        | Latur                     |                              16000 |                                                                   16001 |
| 18        | Nagpur                    |                              17974 |                                                                   15109 |
| 19        | Nanded                    |                              21961 |                                                                   21524 |
| 20        | Nandurbar                 |                              12500 |                                                                   12500 |
| 21        | Nashik                    |                              20770 |                                                                   20762 |
| 22        | Palghar                   |                               7787 |                                                                    5906 |
| 23        | Parbhani                  |                              15376 |                                                                   14890 |
| 24        | Pune                      |                              18500 |                                                                   18500 |
| 25        | Raigad                    |                              16500 |                                                                   16470 |
| 26        | Ratnagiri                 |                               8956 |                                                                    8731 |
| 27        | Sangli                    |                              15462 |                                                                   15456 |
| 28        | Satara                    |                              16454 |                                                                   15618 |
| 29        | Sindhudurg                |                               8658 |                                                                    7918 |
| 30        | Solapur                   |                              17000 |                                                                   16967 |
| 31        | Thane                     |                              10122 |                                                                    9564 |
| 32        | Wardha                    |                              11415 |                                                                   11402 |
| 33        | Washim                    |                              13000 |                                                                   13002 |
| 34        | Yavatmal                  |                              12837 |                                                                    7861 |
| Total     | Total                     |                             518041 |                                                                  487707 |

Source: Soil Health card Portal

*****