The Soil Health and Fertility Scheme, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, has been operational since 2014-15. To date, 24.74 crore Soil Health Cards (SHCs) have been issued across the country and ₹1706.18 crore have been allocated to various States and Union Territories. Currently, 8272 soil testing laboratories have been established across the country, including 1068 Static Soil Testing Labs, 163 Mobile Soil Testing Labs, 6376 Mini Soil Testing Labs, and 665 Village-level Soil Testing Labs.
The Soil and Land Use Survey of India, working under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, conducts short-term training programs for officials and employees from various States and Union Territories. These 3-day training sessions cover topics such as soil database utilization, soil health management, Integrated Watershed Management (IWMP), Geo-Spatial Technology for Natural Resource Management, and Soil Survey & Mapping. In 2024, training programs were conducted for officials from the Agriculture, Forest, and Soil & Water Conservation Departments of West Bengal and the North-Eastern States, and in 2025, similar programs will be held for officials of the Agriculture Department, Jammu & Kashmir.
So far, 665 village-level soil testing laboratories have been established in 17 States. Some of these laboratories have been set up by entrepreneurs and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), but their data has not been centrally compiled.
1:10,000 Scale Soil Mapping for 290 Lakh Hectares: To date, the Soil and Land Use Survey of India has completed soil mapping at a 1:10,000 scale for approximately 290 lakh hectares, including 40 aspirational districts. To promote the judicious use of fertilizers, the Survey has also developed 1987 village-level soil fertility maps for 21 States and Union Territories.
