Parliament Question: Soil Testing Labs

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2589 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 5th AUGUST, 2025 SOIL TESTING LABS

2589. SHRI PRABHAKAR REDDY VEMIREDDY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी be pleased to state?

(a) whether it is true that there are 50 Static soil testing labs, 13 mobile soil testing labs, 1350 mini soil testing labs and 16 village level labs in Andhra Pradesh, if so, the details thereof, district-wise;

(b) the details of funds approved, sanctioned, released and spent on the above labs;

(c) whether it is true that there are 75 mini labs and 4 static soil testing labs and 1 mobile soil testing van in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether it is true that many of the above labs are not functional; and

(e) if so, the reasons therefor and the details of efforts being made to revive the non- functional labs? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a): As reported by Government of Andhra Pradesh, 47 Static Soil Testing Labs

(SSTLs), 13 Mobile Soil Testing Labs (MSTLs) and 1328 Mini Soil Testing Labs (Mini STLs) have been established in Andhra Pradesh. The district-wise details of STLs are at Annexure-I.

(b) & (c): Rs.6460.54 lakh was approved, sanctioned and released for the period 2014-15 to 2025-26 on the above labs. Out of this, Rs. 5843.54 lakh was spent on the above labs. 4 SSTLs, 1 MSTL and 74 Mini STLs are established in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.

(d) & (e): The State Government of Andhra Pradesh has informed that 17 SSTLs and 13 MSTLs are functional. In order to operationalise 9 STLs, funds released in 2024-25 and current year are being used for repair (civil & electrical), purchase & repair of equipment etc. Annexure-I Details of district wise STLs in Andhra Pradesh Number of Number of MSTLs Number of S.No Name of the District SSTLs Mini STLs 1 Srikakulam 1 1 60 2 Vizianagaram 2 1 54 3 ParvathipuramManyam 2 - 30 4 Alluri Seetharamaraju 2 - 44 5 Visakhapatnam - 1 8 6 Anakapalli 2 - 48 7 Kakinada 2 1 40 8 Konaseema 2 - 44 9 East Godavari 1 - 36 10 West Godavari 2 1 38 11 Eluru 2 - 56 12 Krishna 2 - 50 13 NTR 2 1 36 14 Guntur 1 - 34 15 Palnadu 2 - 56 16 Bapatla 1 1 50 17 Prakasam 2 1 76 18 SPSR Nellore 4 1 74 19 Chittoor 2 - 62 20 Tirupati 2 1 68 21 YSR 2 1 72 22 Annamayya 2 - 60 23 Kurnool 2 1 50 24 Nandyal 2 - 56 25 Ananthapuram 1 1 62 26 Sri Satya Sai 2 - 64 Total 47 13 1328 *****