(a) the total number of farmers and the number of farmers who have been issued Soil Health Cards in the State of Bihar;
(b) the reasons for not issuing Soil Health Cards to all the farmers;
(c) the rules and criteria for issuance of Soil Health Cards; and
(d) the number of farmers who have registered complaints with regard to the issuance of Soil Health Cards and the benefits given through these cards in the State of Bihar during the last three years?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) & (b): Under Soil Health Card programme, 66, 01,001 farmers were provided Soil Health Cards in the State of Bihar, which was i.e. 92% of 71, 96,235 cultivars (census 2011). The State indicated that due to acute shortage of field/ technical staff, sample collection, testing and card distribution was effected at certain pockets resulting in the shortfall .The remaining farmers are proposed to be covered in current year i.e.2021-22.
(c): In two cycles (2015-17 and 2017-19) soil sampling was done on grid basis. The grid size for rainfed area was 10 ha and for the irrigated area was 2.5ha. One representative soil sample (composite) was to be collected from each grid. All farmers in the grid had to be given Soil Health Card. Subsequently, from 2019-20 onwards, farm holding based soil testing and card distribution was initiated in selected villages. Through SHC, Soil nutrient status is provided to the farmers along with crop -specific integrated fertiliser recommendations for promoting judicious use of fertilisers that helps in better production and yield.
(d): No such complaint has been received so far. Under the programme, all the farmers are provided free Soil health Cards, and in the last 3 years, Rs 24.54 cr was released to the State for this purpose (at Annexure). As per the State report, it was found that soil health card recommendation based fertiliser use resulted in 10-15 % net increase in the productivity as compared to control plot.