Lok Sabha Question No. 2753 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-15
Subject: Soil Health Mission
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: ADVOCATE NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, SUDHEER GUPTA, A.T. (NANA) PATIL, MEENAKASHI LEKHI, SULTAN  AHMED, DUSHYANT CHAUTALA, RAMESH BIDHURI, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, OM BIRLA, RAJESH KUMAR DIWAKAR, RAVNEET SINGH, RODMAL NAGAR, RANGASWAMY DHRUVANARAYANA, POONAM  MAHAJAN, DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2753

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  15 TH  DECEMBER, 2015

## SOIL HEALTH MISSION

2753.    ADV. NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI A.T. NANA PATIL:

SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:

SHRI SULTAN AHMED:

SHRI DUSHYANT CHAUTALA:

SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI OM BIRLA:

SHRI RAJESH KUMAR DIWAKER:

SHRI RAVNEET SINGH:

SHRI NAGAR RODMAL:

SHRI R. DHRUVA NARAYANA:

SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN:

SHRI D.K. SURESH:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं किसान िल्याण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has launched new soil health mission for the benefit of farmers in the country;
- (b) if so, the salient features of the Mission;
- (c) the  advantage  of  the  new  mission  over  the  past  mission  launched  by  the Government;
- (d) the number of soil health cards issued to the farmers in each State/UT during the last one year; and
- (e) the  steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  create  more  soil testing laboratories in various parts of the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã

एवं किसान िल्याण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ Àã·¾ã ½ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIA )

(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. Soil health Card Scheme has been launched during the year 2014-15 to issue soil health cards to all 14 crore farm holdings of the country in every 3 years of interval to address nutrient deficiencies in fertilization practices.

Under  the  scheme,  soil  samples  will  be  collected  in  a  grid  of  2.5  hectares  in irrigated areas and 10 hectares grid in rainfed areas. Global Positioning System (GPS) based  samples  will  be  drawn  &  tested  for  12  parameters  namely  pH,  Electrical Conductivity  (EC),  Organic  Carbon  (OC),  macro-nutrients  (Nitrogen,  Phosphorus  & Potassium),  secondary  nutrients  (Sulphur)  and  Micro-nutrients  (Zinc,  Boron,  Iron Manganese & Copper). Soils Health Cards will be generated online along with fertilizer recommendation.

(c): The advantage of the new scheme are:-

(i) It  is  for  the  first  time  a  uniform  soil  sampling  method is introduced in all States across the country in a grid of 2.5 ha in irrigated areas and 10 ha in rainfed areas. GPS based sampling will allow monitoring of changes in soil health over the years.

(ii) Uniform soil testing methodology is being adopted to analyze 12 parameters viz. pH, EC, OC, Primary nutrients (NPK), secondary nutrients (S), micronutrients (Zn, B, Fe, Mn & Cu).

(iii) Uniform format for soil health card has been adopted. The Soil Health Card portal has been developed to generate and issue soil health cards based on General Fertilizer Recommendations provided by Agriculture Scientists.

(d): As  on  09.12.2015,  States  have  issued  66  lakh  Soil  Health  Cards  to  farmers. State-wise details are given at Annexure.

(e): Under the ongoing scheme called Soil Health Management, financial assistance has been provided for 180 laboratories (103 Static and 77 Mobile) to States amounting to  Rs.100  crores  in  two  years  2014-15  &  2015-16  for  setting  up  of  Static/Mobile  Soil Testing Laboratories and also strengthen the existing Static Soil Testing Laboratories.

## Annexure

## Status of Soil Health Card Scheme as on 09.12.2015

| Sl.No.   | State        | No of Soil Health Cards issued till 09.12.2015   |
|----------|--------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| I        | SOUTH ZONE   |                                                  |
| 1        | Andhra Pr    | 1274518                                          |
| 2        | Karnataka    | 3700                                             |
| 3        | Kerala       | 12064                                            |
| 4        | Tamil Nadu   | 980892                                           |
| 5        | Telangana    | 242000                                           |
| II.      | WEST ZONE    |                                                  |
| 6        | Gujarat      | 800000                                           |
| 7        | Madhya Pr    | 275000                                           |
| 8        | Maharashtra  | 1522000                                          |
| 9        | Rajasthan    | 225000                                           |
| 10       | Chhattisgarh | 59248                                            |
| 11       | Goa          | 0                                                |
| III.     | NORTH ZONE   |                                                  |
| 12       | Haryana      | 20000                                            |
| 13       | Punjab       | 64897                                            |
| 14       | Uttarakhand  | 72322                                            |
| 15       | Uttar.Pr     | 66736                                            |
| 16       | Himachal Pr  | 18994                                            |
| 17       | J&K          | 8586                                             |
| IV.      | EAST ZONE    |                                                  |
| 18       | Bihar        | 660000                                           |
| 19       | Jharkhand    | 9844                                             |
| 20       | Odisha       | 222436                                           |
| 21       | West Bengal  | 10500                                            |
| V.       | NE ZONE      |                                                  |
| 22       | Arunachal Pr | 0                                                |
| 23       | Assam        | 413                                              |
| 24       | Manipur      | 0                                                |
| 25       | Meghalaya    | 15668                                            |
| 26       | Mizoram      |                                                  |
| 27       | Nagaland     | 5470                                             |
| 28       | Sikkim       | 0                                                |
| 29       | Tripura      | 6950                                             |
|          | TOTAL        | 6577238                                          |

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