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Soil Health Card Scheme — Govt Scheme for UPSC | Vaidra
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Soil Health Card Scheme

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers WelfareactiveagricultureLaunched: 2015-02-19

About the Scheme

Soil Health Card Scheme provides soil health cards to farmers with crop-wise nutrient recommendations to improve soil health and reduce input costs. Phase I: 10.73 crore cards (2015-17). Phase II: 11.93 crore cards (2017-19). Phase III: shifting to mobile testing vans. Reduces fertilizer overuse and improves yield. Now integrated with PM Dhan-Dhaanya.

Target Beneficiaries: 14 crore farmers; 11.93 crore soil health cards distributed under Phase II

Implementing Agency: Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) through State Agriculture Departments

Official Website →

✦Key Features

  • Provides soil health cards with NPK (primary, secondary, micro) nutrient status
  • Crop-wise fertilizer and input recommendation on each card
  • 11.93 crore soil health cards distributed in Phase II (2017-19)
  • Mobile soil testing vans for doorstep testing in Phase III
  • Integrated with PM Fasal Bima Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi
  • Digital Soil Health Card Portal for real-time tracking
  • Balances fertilizer use: reduces overuse of nitrogen, corrects micronutrient deficiencies

✓Eligibility Criteria

  • All farmers who own agricultural land in India.
  • Farmers registered with the respective State Agriculture Departments.
  • The scheme is applicable to all types of agricultural land, irrespective of landholding size.

★Benefits

  • Provides scientific recommendations for nutrient application based on soil test results, leading to balanced fertilization.
  • Helps in improving soil health and increasing agricultural productivity.
  • Reduces the input costs for farmers by preventing the overuse of fertilizers.
  • Contributes to enhanced crop yields and farm income.
  • Promotes sustainable agricultural practices and environmental protection.

▶Application Process

  • Farmers contact their local Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) or State Agriculture Department office.
  • Soil samples are collected from their agricultural fields as per established protocols.
  • Samples are tested at designated Soil Testing Laboratories for 12 key parameters.
  • Based on the test results, a Soil Health Card is generated with crop-wise fertilizer recommendations.
  • The Soil Health Card is then distributed to the farmers.

₹ Budget Allocation

568

Funding Ratio (Centre:State): 60:40 (90:10 for NE/Hilly; 100% for UTs)

Exam Relevance

GS Paper: GS3

Prelims Relevance7%
Mains Relevance7%

Syllabus Tags

AgricultureSoil HealthFertilizersFarmers WelfareGS3

Historical Context

Launched in February 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan, to provide farmers with a comprehensive report on the nutrient status of their soil.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Non-agricultural land
  • Commercial plantations (often covered by specific boards like Tea/Coffee boards)

Sub-Schemes

Village Level Soil Testing Labs (VLSTLs)

Providing employment to rural youth and SHGs by setting up testing labs.

Challenges

  • Farmers' skepticism regarding the accuracy of soil testing results
  • Lack of soil testing laboratories at the local/block level
  • Language barriers in understanding the technical recommendations on the card
  • Time lag between soil sampling and card distribution

Reforms & Recommendations

  • Developing 'Village-level Soil Testing Labs' through rural youth entrepreneurs (SHC Lab scheme)
  • Directly linking SHC data to fertilizer subsidy (DBT 2.0)
  • Providing the card in an easy-to-read 'Visual Infographic' format

Performance Statistics

Metric

22.42 Crore

Source: PIB

Metric

8-10%

Source: National Productivity Council

Critical Analysis

The SHC scheme is the 'Diagnosis before Prescription' for Indian soil. It addresses the 'NPK Imbalance' (where Urea is overused due to subsidies). While the distribution of cards (over 22 crore) is a logistical triumph, the 'Adoption Gap'—farmers actually changing their fertilizer habits based on the card—remains the bottleneck. The transition of the scheme into a 'Saturation Model' under RKVY indicates a shift from data collection to institutionalized nutrient management.

SDG Linkages

SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)SDG 12 (Responsible Production)SDG 15 (Protecting Ecosystems)

Constitutional Backing

Article 48 (Agriculture improvement)Seventh Schedule (Agriculture - State List)

Technology Used

GPS-tagged soil samplingSTFR (Soil Testing cum Fertilizer Recommendation) MeterSoil Health Portal (Digital Repository)

Success Stories

Nutrient Savings in Banaskantha

Key Takeaways

  • 12 parameters tested (N, P, K, S, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, B, pH, EC, OC)
  • Issued every 2 years to farmers
  • Provides crop-specific fertilizer recommendations
  • Aims to reduce costs by 10% and increase yields by 5-10%

Probable Questions

Discuss the significance of the Soil Health Card scheme in optimizing the cost of cultivation and promoting sustainable agriculture in India.

EasyMedium

Mains Answer Fodder

Relevant for: 1. Agricultural Productivity and Input Efficiency. 2. Fertilizer Subsidy Reform. 3. Environmental Pollution (Nitrate leaching/Groundwater). 4. Precision Farming. 5. Doubling Farmers' Income through cost reduction.

Convergence Schemes

  • Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
  • Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
  • Neem Coated Urea policy

Sector Tags

AgricultureScience and TechnologyEnvironment