Soil Health Card Scheme (SHC) - How to Apply, Benefits

What is the Soil Health Card Scheme?

The Soil Health Card scheme is a Government of India initiative under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. The Soil Health Card Scheme was launched in 2015, the SHC scheme assists Indian farmers in soil health management. It provides a soil health card that informs farmers about the health status of the soil. This allows them to grow crops accordingly and take corrective measures at the right time.

Features of the Soil Health Card Scheme

The key features of the SHC scheme include:

• The SHC scheme is a centrally funded scheme and is implemented all over the country.
• The scheme issues soil health cards to farmers once every three years that consist of soil information of land holdings.
• The SHC scheme aims at reducing fertiliser use and maintaining the nutrient balance in the soil to enhance food grain production in the country.

What is a Soil Health Card?

The Soil Health Card is a printed document given to a farmer for each of his holdings. It provides information about the soil's health condition based on 12 parameters. The parameters include Boron, Iron, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Copper, pH, etc.
 

Based on these parameters, the SHC provides recommendations on fertiliser use and other soil management techniques. It also evaluates the changes in soil health that occur due to land management. You can find a soil testing laboratory, track soil samples and print soil health cards from the SHC portal.

The soil health card report contains the following information:

• Soil health card or Aadhaar number
• Father’s name
• Block number
• Village, Taluka
• Khasra number
• Area and soil type
• Nutrient presence in the soil
• Corrective measures to improve the quality of the soil

How Does the Soil Health Card Scheme Work?

The SHC scheme involves a series of steps to determine the soil health and prepare the card. Soil samples are usually drawn twice a year after the harvest of Kharif and Rabi crops or when there are no standing crops on the land. Here’s how the scheme works:
 

• Step 1: The samples are collected by the state governments through the Department of Agriculture staff using GPS tools and revenue maps. They are drawn by cutting the soil to a depth of 15-20 cm in a V-shape.
  
  
• Step 2: The collected sample is coded, bagged, and sent to the soil testing laboratory to know its health status. The testing laboratories are static or in the form of mobile vehicles so that testing can be carried out in remote locations as well.
  
  
• Step 3: The laboratory professionals determine the availability and deficiency of nutrients in the soil.
  
  
• Step 4: A soil health card report is generated based on the findings. If there are deficiencies in the soil, the experts offer suggestions for corrective measures.
  
  
• Step 5: Farmers can access and print the report from the soil health card portal.

Who Can Apply for The SHC Scheme?

There are no definite eligibility criteria when it comes to the SHC scheme. It aims to cover as many farmers as possible across the country.  Hence, all farmers can apply for soil health card registration.

How to Apply for The Soil Health Card Online?

The steps for the soil health card online application are as follows:

• Step 1: Visit the official website of the Soil Health Card Scheme.
• Step 2: Click “Login” on the homepage.
• Step 3: Choose your state and click “Continue.” Now select “Register New User.”
• Step 4: Provide information like User Organisation Details, User Details, login details, language, etc., on the application page and click “Submit.” 
• Step 5: Now login through the username and password. 
• Step 6: Now you can apply for the SHC scheme. Fill out the registration form to get your unique registration name.

What are the Benefits of the Soil Health Card Scheme?

The SHC is an efficient scheme to identify issues with soil quality and take appropriate measures at the right time. Here is a list of benefits of the SHC:
 

• The SHC scheme monitors soil type and quality and provides a report. Based on the report, farmers can wisely cultivate crops and boost their land’s productivity and incomes in the long run.
• The SHC scheme provides a clear picture to farmers of which nutrients are lacking in their soils. It helps them know which fertilisers should be used and in what quantity.
• In the SHC scheme, the authorities observe the soil regularly and provide a report to the farmers once every three years. This ensures that farmers have up-to-date information about their soil’s nature and other related aspects.
• Experts also provide recommendations about the nutrients and other measures to improve the soil’s quality.
• The government ensures that one person conducts the soil analysis for the farmer to enhance the benefits of the scheme.

Wrapping Up

The SHC scheme is a step in the right direction. Indian farmers depend heavily on the fertiliser industry to increase their farm productivity. The rampant use of chemicals hampers the nutrient balance of the soil, degrading its quality in the long run.

With the help of a soil health card report, farmers can identify issues with the soil and fix them to maximise yield. However, awareness campaigns for the SHC scheme must be carried out before the sowing season to enhance its effectiveness.

This was all about the Soil Health Card Scheme.

Just like a soil health card is for soil health, an Ayushman Bharat Health Account or ABHA card is a digital health ID for your health. It saves your medical records and helps you access healthcare services seamlessly across the country.

In addition to an ABHA card, a health insurance plan is an effective tool for accessing quality healthcare services without dipping into your savings.