1. Revamping Soil Health Card Scheme
Group 2
A,P, Telangana, Tamilnadu, M.P, U.P, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar, H.P, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram
Chairperson: Joint Secretary (INM)
Group Leader: Commissioner Agriculture, Maharashtra

2. Issues deliberated SHC in current year - 2019-20
SHC – future strategies
Soil Sampling method
Period of cycle
Soil testing infrastructure
Awareness generation/Village level Extension
Advanced technologies for soil testing
Others

3. strategy for SHC in current year - 2019-20
Holiday to soil testing
Large scale ha size village level demonstrations- convincing farmers
Farm holding based testing - village level pilots - use the experience for preparation of future plan
Extension at village level- volunteers/ RAWE graduates / FAI, Melas
Focus on infrastructure development keeping in view the landholdings in the state
Completion of existing projects /demand for new

4. SHC-future strategies- recommendations
Soli sampling
Farm Holding wise testing : demand based /-farmer / volunteers to get sample for testing- payment of sample collection cost of SHC to farmers/volunteers
Small grids- 1h grid in irrigated & 5 ha in rainfed areas
Cycle period
5 years Cycle- with smaller grid size of 1 ha and 5 ha for irrigated and non- irrigated
No cycle- demand based
Quality of sample
Volunteer/ farmer to be trained technically
States to be given freedom to choose cycle/ demand based

5. Soil Testing Infrastructure
14.5 crore landholdings; 3 crore samples/ year
STLs of govt / private/ entrepreneurs needed
Developing modalities for roping in Private agencies
Fixed targets to existing private labs on payment
Need for a back ended subsidy scheme for setting up STL in private sector under RKVY or SHM scheme
MoU for sample testing of fixed samples
Government lab at district level
ICP in major labs / increase financial assistance for ICP
New labs to have Facility for adequate manpower under scheme
Village level labs by AC&ABC, Co-operatives, PACS, SHGs, FPOs, FPCs, Ex-servicemen, etc. with fixed targets but quality check of minilabs needed
At least one STL should be NABL accredited in each state as referral lab.

6. SHC specific extension services at village level
Haryana model: engage NSS volunteers / cadets for strengthening SHC specific extension services at village level; pay from SHC cost
UG students under 3 month Rural & Agriculture Work Experience (RAWE) module of SAUs for extension
Caravan based publicity
Retailers of PP and fertilisers to display posters of Soil Health management
Payment linked or incentive linked SHC to farmers to motivate them for SHCs

7. Incentives to farmers
Sugar factories to provide Incentives to farmers/FPOs applying fertilizer based on SHC recommendation can be given by sugar factories
Incentive be given to the farmers bringing samples to the laboratory for testing
SHC to be made mandatory for getting benefit under various agriculture schemes
Linking SHC to PMKISAN subsidy
Linking SHC unique number with DOF portal for fertilizer subsidy.

8. Development of Hand held devices for soil testing
Haryana : Hand held device by Singapore based Olympus company which is under calibration and validation process. The device is costing around Rs lakh that give test result in 3 minute per sample.
Maharashtra : Device by Harvard based MIT company that analyze soil sample at a cost of Rs per sample.
Bihar: A new Dry soil testing device costing about Rs. 1 crore is under validation and results are likely to be available by year end

9. Other suggestions
Promotion of crop specific, area specific customised fertilisers based on SHC recommendations
Availability of micronutrients at the same dealer of fertilisers
Support for manpower to be included in the scheme
SHC to be integral part of all agri/horti schemes
Development of STCR equations for remaining districts

10. Thank you