India is an agriculture-oriented country and this is the reason government launches various innovative schemes to assist farmers on a time-to-time basis. Soil health is a major factor that plays a critical role in deciding the yield and productivity of a crop at the end of the season. Soil Health Card Scheme in India is one of the innovative agrarian schemes of the Government of India for making agricultural activities more efficient and productive by focusing on soil health.
Under Scheme, the government issues soil health cards to the farmers over a period of 2 years. This scheme helps the government to promote Soil Health Management. This scheme is aimed to reduce the use of fertilizers and to maintain the nutrient balance in soil for enhanced productivity by testing soil samples in all the states/UTs of the state.
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Soil Health Card Scheme 2023
It was launched on 19th February 2021 at Suratgarh in Rajasthan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. SHC Scheme has played a significant role in improving the health of soil across the country since its launch. Farmers of all the states/UTs are the main beneficiaries of the SHC scheme. Apart from this several people and departments are associated and are behind the implementation of this scheme. This scheme is supported and implemented by the students (Colleges/universities), organizations like ICAR, PRI, SAU, KVK etc., and STLs (Soil Testing Labs) & Mini STLs.
मृदा स्वास्थ्य कार्ड योजना भारत सरकार की एक महत्त्वाकांक्षी कृषि योजना है| यह योजना २०१५ में प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी द्वारा लॉन्च की गयी थी| इस योजना का लाभ भारत के सभी किसानो को दिया जाता है| इस योजना के अंतर्गत किसानो को मृदा स्वास्थ्य कार्ड प्रदान किये जाते हैं| यह कार्ड किसानो की उनकी जमीन की मिटटी की जांच के बाद ही दिया जाता है| इस कार्ड से किसान अपनी मिटटी के विषय में पूरी जानकारी प्राप्त कर सकते हैं जैसे मिटटी का प्रकार, उसमे उपस्थित पोषक तत्व, उर्वरकों के प्रयोग से मृदा के पोषक तत्वों में होने वाली कमी, आदि| इस कार्ड में दी गयी जानकारी के आधार पर किसान भविष्य में कोनसी सी फसल से उसे ज्यादा मुनाफा होगा यह पता लगा सकता है| मृदा स्वास्थ्य कार्ड प्रत्येक २ साल में वितरित किए जाते हैं| मृदा स्वास्थ्य कार्ड योजना की सभी जानकारी इस आर्टिकल में दी गयी है|
राष्ट्रीय ग्रामीण स्वास्थ्य मिशन
SCH Scheme is a centrally funded scheme that has been introduced and is managed by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, GoI at the central level. The actual implementation of the scheme across states is carried forward by the respective State Agriculture Departments and District Administration.
To get complete information about the innovative SHC Scheme of the Indian Government, you can go through this article.
What is Soil Health Card?
A soil health card is a printed soil report issued to the farmers which include the current status of the soil health and provide them nutrient recommendations based on soil testing.
We can say that it is a report card of farmer’s soil based on sample testing conducted by the government to promote Soil Health Management. Along with this, it also includes a recommendation from the agriculture department to the farmers about the efficient usage of fertilizers so that they can grow their farm income.
“Swasth Dhara, Khet Hara”
Soil Health Card Scheme Details
| Name of the Scheme | Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme |
| Category | Central Govt. Scheme |
| Type of Scheme | Centrally Funded Agricultural Scheme |
| Concerned Department | Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare |
| Ministry | Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India |
| Purpose | Free checkup of Soil (Issue of soil health cards to farmers to access the current status of soil health and take corrective measures to improve soil fertility & farmer income) |
| Area Covered | PAN India |
| Beneficiaries | Farmers |
| Launch Date | 19th February 2015 |
| Issue of Soil Health Card | Every 2 Year |
| Current Status | Active |
| Official Portal | soilhealth.dac.gov.in |
Features of सॉइल हेल्थ कार्ड स्कीम
Check some of the key features of this Scheme listed below-
- As SHC Scheme is a centrally funded scheme and covers the entire country.
- Farmers are issued a Soil Health Card once in a 2 year. It is a printed report that includes soil information of all the landholdings of the farmer.
- With these Soil Health cards, farmers can know the health condition of their soil/land and get recommendations to improve the fertility and health of the soil.
- Soil Health is determined for a particular holding by testing the soil samples.
- Testing of Soil samples is done 12 main parameters of soil.
- SCM is also aimed to promote the use of organic fertilizers in order to increase the efficiency of nutrient use and soil fertility.
- With the reduced use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture, this scheme promotes sustainable agriculture.
Benefits of Soil Health Card Yojana
Soil Health card indicates the current status of soil nutrients and other related details. It includes all the indicators of soil health that can be accessed with or without the help of laboratory equipment. SHC distributed to farmers not only provide soil nutrient information but also include an advisory from the agriculture department for improving soil health and boosting agriculture yield.
On the basis of recommendations and applying required soil amendments, farmers can optimally utilize fertilizers and practice more beneficial agriculture practices to get higher yields in long run.
Advantages
- With the help of this Card, farmers get to know about the type and every detail of soil they are cultivating in.
- With the help of soil report i.e. Soil Health Card, farmers can decide which crop they should cultivate to get more return.
- Facilitates monitoring of soil health on a regular basis by the government.
- Government employ experts to assist farmers and take corrective measure to enhance the soil health.
- Government and farmers get a record of their soil health. This helps in the better study of soil management practices.
- Farmers understand the need and use of sustainable agriculture practices.
- Helps in reducing the cost of cultivation by applying the right quantity of fertilizers and best agriculture practices to increase the farmer’s yield.
Information Mentioned on Soil Health Card
The following information is provided on every SHC-
- Aadhaar Card No./Soil Health Card No.
- Father’s Name
- Block No.
- Village, Taluka
- District
- Khasra No.
- Area (Ha)
- Soil Type
- Details of individual soil analysis
- Details of major nutrients
- Details of Secondary nutrients
- Details of micronutrients
- Recommendation for crops on the basis of soil analysis
Registration Process for Soil Health Card Yojana 2023
Agriculture Department officials associated with this scheme have to register on the official Soil Health portal of the country. They can follow the given instructions-
- Click on “Login” menu.
- Select respective state from the drop down menu.
- Login page will open. Click on “Register New User” option as shown in the image below.
- Internal User Registration form will open. Fill all the details asked in the form and click on “Submit”.
- Finally, user registration will be completed.
Registration for Sample Test by internal users can also be done through Soil Health Card Mobile Application. The link to download the complete guide on how to register for a sample test via mobile app is given below.
How to Track Soil Sample under SHC scheme?
A farmer whose samples has been collected for Soil Sample Test/SHC can track the status of the same by visiting the nearest Citizen Service Center. They can also check the progress status of the soil sample through the official portal. They just have to follow the simple instructions shared below to get the soil sample status-
- Visit official portal.
- On the homepage of the portal, click on “Track your Sample” link under the Farmer’s corner.
- Search Box will open. Here, select State, District, Sub-District/Mandal, & Village from the drop-down menu and enter Farmer Name, Village Grid No. and Sample Number. Click on “Search” Button.
- Sample Tracking details of the soil will appear on the screen. These details will include- Id, Sample Number, Farmer Name, Status and Action.
प्रधान मंत्री किसान सम्मान निधि योजना
How to print Soil Health Card?
Farmers who have given their samples for test and have issued the soil health card. Farmers can also get their Soil Health Card printed online.
In order to print SHC online through the official portal, you can take help from the easy steps shared below-
- Visit the official portal.
- Click on “Print Your Soil Health Card” option provided under Farmer’s Corner section on the homepage.
- Select the state from drop-down and click on “Continue” button.
- Enter state, District, Sub-district/Mandal, Gram panchayat, Village, Farmer Name, Village Grid No., Sample No., and click on “Search” Button.
- All the details of Soil Health Card will appear. These will include- Sample No., Village Grid No., Sr. No., Farmer Name, District, Sub-District/Mandal, Block/Mandal, Village, Additional Crops, etc.
- Once farmer’s soil health card will display, it can be downloaded and printed by clicking on the print option.
Sample of Soil Health Card Format
Users can also follow the given procedure to download Soil Health Card online-
- Click on the SHC Download URL (https://soilhealth.dac.gov.in/HealthCard/HealthCard/HealthCardPublic).
- Enter Sample No., Select Farmer S.No., Language, Unit and click on “View” button.
- SHC for selected details will open.
- Download it.
How to Download Learner Driving License DL Online?
Printing of SHC for Additional Purpose
To print SHC for additional purposes, one can follow the given instructions-
- Open official portal.
- Click on “Print soil health card for additional Crops” link on the homepage.
- Select state and click on “Continue”.
- Enter all the details to get your SHC.
- Click on “SHC for Additional Crops” option.
- SHC will open and print the same.
Sampling Norms
The agriculture department follows a standard procedure and norms for collecting samples across the country. The Department officials draw samples in a grid of 2.5 hectares in an irrigated area of the field and in 10 hectares in a rain-fed land area. These samples are drawn with the help of revenue maps & appropriate GPS tools and equipment.
Sample testing is done considering 12 important parameters of soil that determine the health and fertility of the soil. These parameters include-
- Macro Nutrients
These include- availability of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) in soil. - Secondary Nutrient
It includes the availability of Sulphur (S) in soil. - Micro Nutrients
Includes the availability of Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu) in a soil sample - Physical parameters
Includes Organic Carbon (OC, Electrical Conductivity (EC), and pH of the soil.
Collection of Soil Samples
Under this scheme, soil samples are collected by the trained personnel sent by the State Agriculture department or by the members of an outsourced agency. Apart from this, the state can also allow local agriculture students to collect the samples.
Sampling is done using standard procedures in a uniform manner across the states. The sample is collected from all four corners and the centre of the agriculture field. To collect it, the soil is cut into a “V” shape and from a depth of around 15 to 20 cm soil sample is collected. At last, all the samples from different corners of the field are mixed together and a part of this mixture is sent to the soil test labs for testing.
Ideal Time for Sample Collection
Sample collection for this scheme is majorly done twice a year, Sampling is done is after harvesting two major crop seasons i.e. Rabi & Kharif crops.
How to locate Soil Testing Laboratory?
The location of the soil testing laboratory in a particular area can be accessed through the official website. Those who wish to locate the STL through the online portal can take help from the step-by-step process given below-
- On the homepage of the portal, click on “Locate soil testing laboratory” option.
- Select respective state and District from the dropdown menu and click on “View Report” option.
- List of all the soil testing labs in the selected location will open. You will get following details of the test lab- Name of the lab, Address, Email, Phone, Fax, Lab type, staff, Soil equipment Name & Quantity, Test name and test Rate and other information.
Financial Progress
Take a quick look at the report card or financial progress of the SHC Scheme so far-
| Financial Year | Total Funds released |
| 2014-15 | 23.89 Crore |
| 2015-16 | 96.47 Crore |
| 2016-17 | 133.66 Crore |
| 2017-18 | 152.76 Crore |
| 2018-19 | 237.40 Crore |
| 2019-20 | 107.24 Crore |
| Total | 751.42 Crore |
प्रधानमंत्री ग्रामीण आवास योजना लिस्ट
Soil Health Card Portal Important Links
| Official Portal | Click Here |
| Soil Health Card Download | Click Here |
| Mobile App Registration Guide (Admin) | Click Here |
| Track Sample | Click Here |
| Print Soil Health Card | Click Here |
| Locating Soil Testing Labs | Click Here |
FAQs
It was launched on 19th February 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
All the people/ organizations who are associated with this scheme are the stakeholders of this scheme. They include Farmers (beneficiaries), Government (Central & State), University/College institutions, Agricultural Institutions of the country and all the Soil Testing Labs.
It is a central government-sponsored scheme and thus is accessible through the country.
No, registration and login on the official website are only for the internal users of the agriculture departments.
No, SHCs are issued over a round of two years to the farmers.
Two times a year. The sample is collected after the harvesting of Rabi and Kharif crops.
No, all the farmers of the country are eligible for Soil Health Card Scheme. However, the scheme is carried out at the state level, you can contact the concerned agriculture department for more information.
Soil samples are tested at the designated Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) established in each state of the country.
Yes, farmers can print or download their cards from the official portal. The downloading process can be checked in the article above.
“Swasth Dhara, Khet Hara”.
An amount of Rs.190/- per sample is incurred in sample testing and generation of a Soil Health Card.