Question : Soil Health Cards and Soil Test Labs

(a) whether the Government has set any target to cover all the farmers under the Soil Health card scheme in the country;

(b) if so, the achievement of the scheme till date, the details thereof;

(c) whether the soil health cards are made available to the farmers to receive the benefits, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government has set up adequate number of Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) in the States to facilitate farmers;

(e) if so, whether all the Soil Testing Labs in the country are functional to provide services to farmers;

(f) if so, the details thereof; and

(g) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a) to (c): Government has set a target to provide Soil health cards to all the farmers in the country every 2 years. In the 1st Cycle (2015-16 & 2016-17), 10.74 crore soil health cards were distributed to farmers and in the 2nd Cycle (2017-18 & 2018-19), against the target of 12.04 crore soil health cards, 7.23 crore soil health cards have been distributed by State Governments/UTs to farmers as on 01.01.2019. Soil health card provides information to the farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving crop productivity and soil fertility.

(d) to (g): Financial assistance is provided to States under Soil Health Management (SHM) Scheme to set up adequate number to STLs. The number of soil testing labs functioning in the country is given at Annexure.