**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1763 concerning the Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme. It provides data on the number of SHCs generated, expenditure on the scheme, and the impact on fertilizer use. The data covers the period from 2020-21 to 2024-25, with additional historical context. The answer was to be provided on February 10, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **SHC Scheme Overview:**
* The government promotes balanced fertilizer use through the Soil Health & Fertility scheme since 2014-15.
* The scheme aims to provide SHCs for all farm holdings to improve soil fertility.
* 25.79 crore SHCs have been generated since the scheme's inception.
* **SHC Generation Data:**
* Details of sample collection, testing, and generation/distribution of SHCs during the last five years, year-wise and state-wise, are in Annexure-I.
* **Expenditure:**
* Rs. 624.25 crore was released as the Central Share to States and UTs for the scheme's implementation from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
* The cost norm is Rs. 300 per SHC for sampling, preparation, and distribution.
* **Impact on Fertilizer Use:**
* Studies indicate a decrease in chemical fertilizer application (8-10%) and a 5-6% increase in crop yield due to SHC recommendations.
* Approximately 62.8% of farmers use fertilizers according to SHC recommendations.
* Cost per acre reduced by 4 to 10% due to low fertilizer use, leading to increased crop yields.
* NITI Aayog's evaluation in 2025 found SHCs contribute to correcting fertilizer imbalance and improving productivity.
* Around 68.5% of surveyed farmers reported soil health improvement with natural inputs; 25.7% reported marginal improvement.
* **Fertilizer Consumption Data:**
* Year-wise consumption/sale of urea and other fertilizers during the last five years are detailed in Annexure-II.
* Fertilizer consumption depends on cropping patterns, irrigation, soil characteristics, climate, and weather conditions.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments and Union Territories (UTs)**
* **Impact**
* Responsible for implementing the Soil Health Card scheme.
* Receive central share funding to support scheme activities.
* **Action Required**
* Utilize released funds to continue sampling, testing, and distributing SHCs.
**Farmers**
* **Impact**
* Benefit from improved soil health and balanced fertilizer application.
* Potentially reduce fertilizer costs and increase crop yields.
* **Action Required**
* Collect soil samples and get them tested.
* Follow the recommendations provided on Soil Health Cards for fertilizer application.
**Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare**
* **Impact**
* Responsible for overseeing and evaluating the Soil Health Card scheme.
* Requires monitoring the generation and distribution of Soil Health Cards, expenditure, and scheme impact.
* **Action Required**
* Continue to monitor and promote the judicious use of fertilizers through the scheme.
* Review and adjust the scheme as needed based on performance data.
Key Entities Referenced
Soil Health Card: A scheme for sampling, preparation, and distribution of soil health cards to promote balanced use of fertilizers and improve soil fertility.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The ministry responsible for implementing the Soil Health Card scheme and answering parliamentary questions about it.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1763
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10TH FEBRUARY, 2026
SOIL HEALTH CARD
1763. SHRI VARUN CHAUDHRY:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी be
pleased to state?
(a) the number of sampling, preparation and distribution of Soil Health cards during the
last five years, year and State-wise;
(b) the expenditure involved in sampling, preparation and distribution of soil health cards;
and
(c) the output of distribution of soil health cards regarding the trend of utilisation of urea
and other fertilisers in the various States and Union Territories during the last five years ?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a): The details of number of sample collection, testing and generation/distribution of Soil
Health Cards (SHCs) during the last five years, year-wise and state-wise are at Annexure-I.
(b): Rs. 624.25 crore has been released as Central Share to States and UTs for the
implementation of the Scheme during the last five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25. Rs. 300 per
SHC is the cost norm under the scheme of Soil Health & Fertility provided for sampling,
preparation and distribution of soil health cards.(c): Government promotes judicious use of fertilizer through Soil Health & Fertility scheme
since 2014-15 to provide SHCs for all farm holdings, to promote balanced and integrated
nutrient management for improving productivity and soil fertility. Since inception of the scheme,
till date 25.79 crore SHCs have been generated.
National Productivity Council (NPC), New Delhi carried out a study 'Soil Testing
Infrastructure for Faster Delivery of SHC in India' in 2017 in 76 districts of 19 States covering
170 soil testing labs and 1700 farmers. As a result of application of fertilizer and micronutrients
as per SHC recommendations, there has been a decrease of use of chemical fertilizer
application in the range of 8-10% was found. Overall 5-6% increase in the yield of crops was
reported, due to application of fertilizer and micronutrients as per SHC.
An impact study of Soil Health & Fertility Scheme (November 2017) was conducted by
National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad. As per
report, about 62.8% of the farmers use fertilizers according to the recommendations on the
SHC. The cost per acre reduced by 4 to 10 % due to low fertilizer use. Crop yields increased
for majority of the crops, although moderately.
NITI Ayog has conducted schemes evaluation during 2025 and found that the SHC has
contributed to correcting fertilizer imbalance (by reducing the excessive use of urea) and
improving productivity. The scheme has also helped in achieving the broader objectives of
Integrated Nutrient Management (INM). About 68.5% of the surveyed farmers reported a clear
improvement in soil health after using natural inputs, while 25.7% of farmers reported only a
marginal improvement.
The consumption of Urea and other fertilizers depend on various interrelated factors like;
cropping patterns and area, irrigation, high-yielding varieties, soil characteristics and its health,
climate and weather conditions, etc. The year-wise consumption/sale of urea and other
fertilizers during the last five years are at Annexure-II.Annexure-I
The details of number of sample collection, testing and generation/distribution of Soil Health Cards (SHCs) during the last five years,
year-wise and state-wise.
(In Numbers)
State 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Total
Samples Sample Samples samples Sample Samples Sample Samples Sample Samples Sample
collected tested & collected collected tested & collected tested & collected tested & collected tested &
SHCs SHCs SHCs SHCs SHCs
generated generated generated generated generated
Andaman & Nicobar 3000 3000 3000 2850 913 604 10000 9999 16913 16453
Andhra Pradesh 0 0 0 0 278153 258716 449757 449753 727910 708469
Arunachal Pradesh 53 53 0 0 2250 2275 100000 100020 102303 102348
Assam 0 0 0 0 298482 295182 1012370 1011600 1310852 1306782
Bihar 274158 333359 502852 1510587 200000 250048 500000 500000 1477010 2593994
Chhattisgarh 5317 5317 NIL 0 0 160000 160678 174902 174875 340219 340870
Dadra & Nagar Haveli And Daman & 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Diu As SHC
component
Goa 6556 6556 9033 9033 8986 8783 11889 10341 36464 34713
was not
Gujarat 0 0 179769 88422 178634 178286 623844 623295 982247 890003
implemente
Haryana 18972 18972 d 600000 600000 299522 297772 599994 583159 1518488 1499903
Himachal Pradesh 25152 25152 24134 24134 12000 12361 74000 74084 135286 135731
Jammu & Kashmir 77519 77519 272378 186890 54000 57905 80524 80314 484421 402628
Jharkhand 0 0 0 0 120511 112024 238073 234959 358584 346983
Karnataka 105546 105546 177359 177359 221427 221427 268000 268000 772332 772332
Kerala 118022 118022 0 0 0 0 110871 107904 228893 225926Ladakh 0 0 0 0 3306 931 2897 1898 6203 2829
Madhya Pradesh 168454 168454 183443 168208 555480 465296 1190918 1144843 2098295 1946801
Maharashtra 0 0 206153 206153 256553 240246 301000 497012 763706 943411
Manipur 4147 4147 7800 7800 164 0 411 346 12522 12293
State 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Total
Samples Sample Samples samples Sample Samples Sample Samples Sample Samples Sample
collected tested & collected collected tested & collected tested & collected tested & collected tested &
SHCs SHCs SHCs SHCs SHCs
generated generated generated generated generated
Meghalaya 10022 14195 0 0 13000 13000 24999 24999 48021 52194
Mizoram 0 0 2857 2857 5170 5170 29825 29727 37852 37754
Nagaland 0 0 14800 14800 14800 14752 110977 110977 140577 140529
Odisha 119093 142078 454062 325484 100012 14163 498835 498763 1172002 980488
Puducherry 3006 3006 0 0 3000 3002 3000 3000 9006 9008
Punjab 19196 19196 202826 168745 119626 87944 247777 139485 589425 415370
Rajasthan 0 0 154429 154429 273004 268578 344818 341022 772251 764029
Sikkim 0 0 3000 3000 15000 15035 60000 60000 78000 78035
Tamil Nadu 357000 357000 134050 134050 250400 250264 400000 400000 1141450 1141314
Telangana 165527 165527 0 0 0 0 142896 141440 308423 306967
Tripura 6816 6816 20075 20000 16848 15211 36683 36661 80422 78688
Uttar Pradesh 28109 28109 593449 392257 485035 485022 826000 826000 1932593 1731388
Uttarakhand 122167 81876 57424 25305 52368 52368 100570 100913 332529 260462
West Bengal 0 0 0 0 332990 326095 392474 378096 725464 704191
Total 1637832 1683900 3802893 4222363 4331634 4113138 8968304 8963485 18740663 18982886
Source: SHC Portal.Annexure-II
Year-wise consumption/sale of urea and other fertilizers during the last five years (2021-22
to 2025-26)
(In`000 tonnes)
Year UREA DAP MOP Complex SSP Total
2020-21 35050.49 11918.45 3431.81 12582.38 4488.92 67472.05
2021-22 34173.17 9264.26 2392.97 12137.92 5676.43 63644.75
2022-23 35725.60 10531.04 1631.87 10730.84 5017.76 63637.11
2023-24 35780.94 10973.03 1645.28 11679.95 4544.29 64623.49
2024-25 38792.47 9629.04 2202.54 14971.91 4928.49 70524.45
Source: iFMS portal
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