Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: More than 25 crore Soil Health Cards have been distributed to farmers (till July) to promote the balanced use of fertilizers and support better soil management across the country, according to the latest Government data. By February 2025, a total of Rs 1,706.18 crore has been provided to states and Union Territories to support the Soil Health Card scheme.
Further advancing its impact, the Soil and Land Use Survey of India has also carried out soil mapping on a large scale. Mapping has been completed at a 1:10,000 scale across nearly 290 lakh hectares, including land in 40 aspirational districts, the official data showed. To guide farmers in using fertilizers wisely, 1,987 village-level soil fertility maps have been created for 21 states and Union Territories. These maps help farmers make better choices for their soil and crops.
The year 2015 was marked as the International Year of Soils. It was also when India launched its landmark Soil Health Card Scheme on February 19, aiming to assess the nutrient condition of every farm across the country. The scheme was officially launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Suratgarh, Rajasthan. It supports state governments in providing farmers with detailed reports on soil health.
These cards offer recommendations on how to improve soil fertility and guide farmers to adopt sustainable practices. From the year 2022–23, the scheme has been included as a component under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, and is now known as Soil Health and Fertility.
