The Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Mohanbhai Kalyanjibhai Kundaria has said in Rajya Sabha that the Government has plans to increase infrastructure and capacity of soil testing laboratories across the state.
“Under the Soil Health Card Scheme, as on 27.11.2015, 55.02 lakh soil samples collected, 31.43 lakh samples analyzed and 26.53 lakh Soil Health Cards issued to farmers,” Minister informed.
From 2014-15, and up to October, 2015, under the Soil Health Management, 103 Static, 77 Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories and strengthening of 269 numbers of existing laboratories sanctioned.
As per Operational Guidelines of Soil Health Card Scheme, samples to be collected and tested in a grid of 2.5 hectare in irrigated area and 10 hectare in rainfed areas.
Soil Testing Laboratories are established under Soil Health Management Scheme and from 2014-15, and upto October, 2015, 77 Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories sanctioned to various States.