The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a statewide Soil Health Card Campaign from Monday, May 5, aimed at scientifically analyzing soil quality across the state. The campaign seeks to collect 11.56 lakh soil samples during the Kharif season, as part of the government's commitment to promote balanced fertilizer use among farmers.
According to Agriculture Director Dr. Jitendra Kumar Tomar, the state plans to fully saturate 16,520 gram panchayats under this initiative by 2025. Of these, 70% of the selected panchayats (11,564) will be covered during the Kharif season, while the remaining 30% will be targeted during the Rabi season. Each panchayat will contribute 100 soil samples for testing.
Women Agri-Facilitators Engaged for the First Time
In a unique move, the campaign has engaged 7,684 trained "Krishi Sakhis" (women agri-facilitators) from 50 districts for soil sample collection, marking their first-time participation. Each Krishi Sakhi will receive ₹15 per sample as honorarium. So far, around 3.6 lakh soil samples have already been collected. Initial tests reveal widespread deficiencies of organic carbon (0.25–0.50%), nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, zinc, and iron in the soil.
Supervision by Scientists and Technical Experts
The campaign is being conducted under the supervision of senior nodal officers, with support from field extension workers, lab technicians, and scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). The aim is to ensure that all sampling is conducted using scientific methods, and that farmers receive accurate and timely soil health reports.
Free Soil Health Cards & Online Access
Dr. Tomar informed that farmers will be provided free Soil Health Cards, based on 12 key soil parameters, helping them adopt scientific and balanced fertilizer practices. This will not only improve soil quality but also reduce input costs and increase crop productivity. All sample-related data and reports are available on the official portal: https://soilhealth.dac.gov.in.
All Panchayats to be Covered by 2025
Under the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, 4,850 gram panchayats were covered in 2023, and 8,260 in 2024, with free distribution of Soil Health Cards. The remaining panchayats will be included in 2025, with 4.96 lakh soil samples scheduled to be collected during the Rabi season from 4,956 panchayats.
