C'garh tops list of states in issuance of soil health cards

Chhattisgarh has topped the list among all the states in the country for having issued over 43 lakh soil health cards (SHCs) to farmers in the past two years, a state minister informed here today.
"The process of providing soil health cards, a Union government's initiative, to farmers for their land is going at a rapid pace in Chhattisgarh," state Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal said.
As against the target of providing 38,90,709 SHCs in the first phase of the scheme between 2015 and 2017 financial years, as many as 43,37,595 SHCs were issued to farmers in the state, he said.

"This is the highest number among the states in the country," he said adding that at least 7.90 lakh samples of soil were collected and examined during this period.
In the second phase of the scheme, which has started from the current financial year, the target is to provide 23,46,890 SHCs to farmers, of which, so far 74,211 have been given, Agrawal said.
The examination of soil samples is being done at 33 permanent laboratories and 174 mini laboratories, he added.

"To maintain the fertility of land for long, it is necessary to cover it under such a scheme," he added.

The soil health cards contain technical and other key information about the cultivation of the land concerned and details of type of soil and proper crops to be cultivated in it, Agrawal said.
He said the SHCs are "crucial" to increase the productivity as well as the income of cultivators.