The Government has introduced Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme to assist State Governments to provide soil health cards to all farmers across the country once in a cycle of 2 years. Soil Health Card provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.
To increase acceptability of SHC by farmers, during 2019-20, a pilot project ‘Development of Model Villages’ has been taken up where soil samples collection has been taken up at individual farm holding with farmer’s participation instead of sample collection at grids being done earlier.
Government is recommending soil test based balanced and integrated nutrient management through conjunctive use of inorganic and organic sources of plant nutrient to sustain good soil health. In this regard advisories are issued to farmers from time to time.
Under Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, financial assistance is provided to state governments for the following training of farmers, demonstrations on farmer fields and organizing farmer melas:
In addition Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) also impart training, organizes front line demonstrations to educate farmers on this aspect.
This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in Rajya Sabha today.
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APS/PK/BA