The Soil Health Card Scheme (SHCS) is a scheme launched by the Government of India on February 19, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Its origin lies in addressing the critical issue of soil degradation and nutrient deficiency, often caused by the overuse of nitrogenous fertilizers like urea. The scheme's purpose is to promote sustainable agriculture by enabling farmers to realize higher yields at lower cost through the judicious use of inputs.
The mechanism involves collecting soil samples from farmers' fields and testing them in various Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs). The resulting Soil Health Card (SHC) is a printed report detailing the soil's status with respect to 12 parameters: the macro-nutrients Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K); the secondary nutrient Sulphur (S); micro-nutrients (Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Boron (B)); and physical parameters (pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), and Organic Carbon (OC)). The card provides crop-wise recommendations on the appropriate dosage of fertilizers and necessary soil amendments. The scheme is implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and aims to issue the card to all farmers every two years to provide a basis for addressing nutrient deficiencies. It connects to the broader goal of strengthening STLs and linking them with institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The core provision of issuing the card every two years has remained central to the scheme's operation since its launch.