Centre asks UP govt to expedite issue of soil health cards

Agriculture ministry asks state government to monitor programme with a view to achieve targets fixed for UP

The Union Agriculture Ministry has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to expedite issuing of soil health cards to farmers as the state has "not performed to its potential".

In September, the Centre decided to complete the task of issuing soil health cards in two years instead of three years.

Accordingly, the target for Uttar Pradesh was increased to 18 lakh from 15.90 lakh for 2015-16 fiscal and from 15.90 lakh to 29.70 lakh for 2016-17.

"A review of the performance of various state governments shows that UP has not been performing to its potential. Till December 9, 2015, against a target of 18 lakh samples, only 4.68 lakh samples have been collected and only 22,894 samples have been analysed," Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said in a letter to the state Chief Minister.

Stating that soil health is one of the most important issues in agriculture especially in irrigated areas where extensive use of urea has resulted in deterioration in soil health, Singh said, "In view of this, it is requested that you may kindly monitor this programme at your level so that the targets fixed for UP are achieved and the programme gets priority it deserves."

Singh further said deterioration in the health of soil adversely affects the productivity in the long run and hence the Government has been paying lot of emphasis on improving the health of soil by integrated nutrient management.

In February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the soil health card scheme in Suratgarh, Rajasthan with an aim of checking deteriorating soil quality and increase farm productivity.

Under the scheme, soil health cards are proposed given to all 14.5 crore farmers in the country in the next two years.

The cards will carry crop-wise recommendation of fertilisers required for farm lands, thereby helping farmers in identifying health of soil and judiciously use soil nutrients.

The government has set a target to collect 102.61 lakh samples in 2015-16. Till last month, it was able to collect over 55 lakh samples, of which 31.43 lakh samples have been tested and 26.53 lakh soil health cards have been issued, as per the Agriculture Ministry's data.