Implementation of SHMS

The Government is implementing Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme since 2015-16 to ascertain soil health and fertility. Soil Health Card provides nutrient status of the soil along with prescription about balanced and integrated use of inorganic and organic fertilizers to maintain good soil health that results in increase in production.

The total number of farmers provided with SHCs during last three years, State/ UT-wise is given at Annexure–I. The States have not reported any challenges faced by them while implementing the scheme.

The number of soil testing laboratories set up across the country, State/ UT-wise is at Annexure-II.

Increase in agriculture production depends on a number of factors like use of quality seeds, balanced & integrated use of fertilizers, availability of irrigation, etc.National Production Council in their study ‘Soil Testing Infrastructure for Faster Delivery of Soil Health Card in India’ in 2017 reported an overall increase in the yield of crops to the tune of 5-6% by adopting SHC recommendations.

Steps taken by Government to improve agricultural productivity are given below:

1. The Government is implementing National Food Security Mission (NFSM) to enhance production and productivity of food crops. The mission aims at increasing foodgrain/food crop production through area expansion in niche regions and productivity improvement. Under NFSM, support is given for promotion of crops viz., rice, wheat, pulses, nutri cereals (jowar, bajra, ragi& small millets), coarse cereals (maize & barley), commercial crops (cotton, jute & sugarcane) and oilseeds and oilpalm.
2. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) plays a vital role to improve agricultural productivity through various interventions i.e. through introduction of improved varieties, quality seeds and planting materials, protected cultivation, high density plantation, rejuvenation, precision farming and horticultural mechanization.
3. Government is implementing Sub-Mission on Seeds & Planting Materials (SMSP) to promote production and multiplication of quality seeds of agricultural crops, so that the required quantities of seeds could be made available to farmers in the country.
4. Under Rashtriya Krishi VikasYojana (RKVY) funds are released to the State Governments on the basis of projects in Agriculture & allied sectors to implement the scheme in the States as per their requirement in areas which requires focused attention for increasing production and productivity in the State.
5.  “Per drop more crop” initiative under which drip/sprinkler irrigation is being encouraged for optimal utilization of water, reducing cost of inputs and increasing productivity.       

 Annexure-I

State-wise number of farmers provided with Soil Health Cards during last three years.

Note: – During 2020-21, soil testing was done by states under state programme (except Uttar Pradesh).

                                                                                    Annexure-II

State-wise number of Soil Testing Labs

This information was given by Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

****

APS/IA/JK