State-wide campaign to preserve and examine health of soil

Soil test labs to be opened in every development block
CM Shri Chouhan launches Soil Health Test Campaign on World Soil Health Day

Bhopal : Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that state-wide campaign to preserve and examine health of soil will be undertaken. Soil test labs will be opened in every development block for farmers’ convenience. The Chief Minister was addressing farmers’ Mahasammelan and Soil Health Card distribution function on World Soil Health Day on the premises of Indian Institute of Soil Science. The Chief Minister said that soil also falls ill and needs treatment. He urged farmers to get soil of their farms tested. For this, obtaining Soil Health Card is necessary. The function was jointly organized by Farmers Welfare & Agriculture Department and Union Government’s Indian Institute of Soil Science at Nabi Bagh here today.

The Chief Minister launched distribution of Soil Health Cards by distributing Soil Health Cards to some farmers. Throughout the state today, 1.25 lakh Soil Health Cards were distributed.

Shri Chouhan said that farmers will be motivated to install solar pumps. Subsidy upto 80 percent will be given on a solar pump costing Rs. 6 lakh. Ineffective, subsidy schemes for farmers involving small amounts will be abolished their funds will be used in major subsidy schemes. He said that places would be earmarked in Mandis to sell fruits-vegetables. Routes of fruits-vegetables will be prescribed. He said that the state government is working with persistence and passion to make agriculture a profitable occupation.

Expressing gratitude towards Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for launching mission for soil health test and campaign to issue Soil Health Cards, the Chief Minister said that imbalance has occurred due to indiscriminate exploitation of Earth. It is responsibility of all to remove it. Throwing light on significance of Soil Health Card, the Chief Minister said that it will help in finding lack of nutrients in soil and information to use fertilizers and water in proportionate quantity. Urging farmers not to burn post-crop residues in fields, he said that soil is also burnt due to it. He urged farmers to also pay attention to change in crop cycle and grow horticulture crops.

Referring to important decisions taken in favour of farmers, the Chief Minister said that permanent power connections will be given to them. At present, subsidy of Rs. 25 thousand per annum is being given per one horsepower. Efforts are nearing completion to supply water to every field. Irrigation capacity was only 7.5 lakh hectares a decade ago, which has been increased to 36 thousand hectares now. Similarly, farmers were given loan earlier at the rate of 18 percent. Now, farmers are being provided interest-free loans. From next year, farmers will be given 10 percent subsidy on loans. Referring to crisis being faced by farmers, the Chief Minister asked them not to lose heart. Joint efforts will tide over the situation.

Farmers Welfare and Agriculture Development Minister Shri Gaurishankar Bisen said that soil health test will help in reducing cost of farming and increase soil fertility. He said that soil is a precious natural resource, whose preservation is responsibility of all. He informed that consumption of chemical fertilizers in Madhya Pradesh is 82 kg per hectare against 175 kg per hectare in states like Punjab.

Director Indian Institute of Soil Science Shri Ashok K. Patra threw light on Soil Health Mission. Principal Secretary Agriculture Dr. Rajesh Rajora informed that one crore Soil Health Cards will be distributed to farmers in next 2 years by launching a campaign. Soil health tests will be conducted every 3 years. He informed that assessment of fertility of soil will also be undertaken in villages. MLA Shri Vishwas Sarang, Zila Panchayat President Shri Manmohan Nagar, Agriculture Production Commissioner Shri P.C. Meena, Mandi Board’s MD Shri Arun Pandey and large number of farmers were present on the occasion.

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