🏛️ Current Policies & Schemes — Manures, Fertilizers & Soil Health
SHC, PKVY, NPOP, MOVCDNER, ONOF, NBS — key government schemes on manures, fertilizers, and soil health for exams and competitive exams
This lesson covers all major government schemes and policies related to manures, fertilizers, and soil health — among the most frequently asked topics in exams and other agricultural competitive exams.
Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme
The Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme was launched on 19 February 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan.
Parameters Tested — 12 Total
| Category | Parameters |
|---|---|
| Physical/Chemical | pH, EC (Electrical Conductivity) |
| Macro Nutrients | Organic Carbon (OC), N, P, K, Sulphur (S) |
| Micro Nutrients | Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Boron (B) |
Key Facts
- Over 25 crore cards issued
- 3-year testing cycle
- Village Level Soil Testing Labs (VLSTLs) established for grassroots access
- Scheme now merged into RKVY cafeteria scheme
- Provides crop-wise fertilizer and micronutrient recommendations
Mridaparikshak
Mridaparikshak — portable mobile soil testing minilab by ICAR-IISS, Bhopal. Tests 15 parameters (3 more than SHC). Enables rapid farm-gate testing.
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This lesson covers all major government schemes and policies related to manures, fertilizers, and soil health — among the most frequently asked topics in exams and other agricultural competitive exams.
Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme
The Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme was launched on 19 February 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan.
Parameters Tested — 12 Total
| Category | Parameters |
|---|---|
| Physical/Chemical | pH, EC (Electrical Conductivity) |
| Macro Nutrients | Organic Carbon (OC), N, P, K, Sulphur (S) |
| Micro Nutrients | Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Boron (B) |
Key Facts
- Over 25 crore cards issued
- 3-year testing cycle
- Village Level Soil Testing Labs (VLSTLs) established for grassroots access
- Scheme now merged into RKVY cafeteria scheme
- Provides crop-wise fertilizer and micronutrient recommendations
Mridaparikshak
Mridaparikshak — portable mobile soil testing minilab by ICAR-IISS, Bhopal. Tests 15 parameters (3 more than SHC). Enables rapid farm-gate testing.
Exam Tip: SHC = 12 parameters, 19 Feb 2015, Suratgarh, RKVY cafeteria. Mridaparikshak = 15 parameters, ICAR-IISS Bhopal.
One Nation One Fertiliser (ONOF) / PMBJP
The One Nation One Fertiliser (ONOF) scheme was launched in August 2022 under Pradhanmantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojana (PMBJP).
- All subsidised fertilisers sold under single "Bharat" brand
- Covers: Urea, DAP, MOP, NPK complexes
- Bharat brand + PMBJP logo on ≥2/3rd of the bag; company logo restricted to ≤1/3rd
- Eliminates brand-driven demand distortion
Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS)
NBS introduced in April 2010 for P&K fertilisers.
- Subsidy fixed per kg of nutrient (N, P, K, S) — not per bag
- Urea excluded from NBS — continues under statutory pricing
- Promotes balanced fertilisation
| Aspect | NBS | Urea Subsidy |
|---|---|---|
| Applies to | P&K fertilisers | Urea |
| Subsidy basis | Per kg of nutrient | Per bag (statutory MRP) |
| Introduced | April 2010 | Pre-NBS |
PKVY — Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana
PKVY promotes organic farming via cluster approach — sub-scheme under NMSA (National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture), under MoAFW.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum cluster | 50 acres |
| Financial support | Rs 50,000/ha over 3 years |
| Organic inputs + seeds | Rs 31,000/ha |
| Value addition + marketing | Rs 8,800/ha |
| Certification | PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) |
| Market focus | Domestic |
| Cost to farmer | Free (govt funded) |
Exam Tip: PKVY = 50 acres + Rs 50,000/ha/3yr + MoAFW + PGS + domestic market.
NPOP — National Programme for Organic Production
NPOP is the national organic certification framework under Ministry of Commerce & Industry via APEDA.
- "India Organic" logo
- Third-party certification (farmer/exporter bears cost)
- Standards equivalent to EU, Switzerland, USDA
- Export-focused
PKVY vs NPOP
| Feature | PKVY | NPOP |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry | Agriculture (MoAFW) | Commerce & Industry |
| Body | State govts / NMSA | APEDA |
| Certification | PGS (peer-group) | Third-party |
| Market | Domestic | Export |
| Cost to farmer | Free | Farmer/exporter pays |
| International recognition | No | EU, Switzerland, USDA |
MOVCDNER — Mission Organic Value Chain Development for NE Region
MOVCDNER — Central Sector Scheme for organic farming in all 8 north-eastern states. Launched 2015-16 under MoAFW.
- Covers entire value chain: seed → input supply → post-harvest → processing → marketing
- FPO/SHG cluster model
- Third-party certification (NPOP standards)
- Targets both domestic and export markets
- NE states = low chemical input use → de facto organic → MOVCDNER formalises and certifies
Exam Tip: MOVCDNER = 8 NE states + full value chain + FPO model + third-party cert. Distinct from PKVY (national, PGS, domestic).
Quick Revision Table
| Scheme | Ministry | Key Number/Fact |
|---|---|---|
| SHC | Agriculture | 12 params, 25 crore+ cards, 19 Feb 2015, RKVY cafeteria |
| ONOF/PMBJP | Chemicals & Fertilizers | Aug 2022, "Bharat" brand, Urea+DAP+MOP+NPK |
| NBS | Chemicals & Fertilizers | P&K only, per-kg-nutrient subsidy, Apr 2010 |
| PKVY | Agriculture (NMSA) | 50 acres, Rs 50,000/ha/3yr, PGS, domestic |
| NPOP | Commerce (APEDA) | Third-party, export, EU/Switzerland/USDA, "India Organic" |
| MOVCDNER | Agriculture | 8 NE states, 2015-16, FPO model, full value chain |
| Mridaparikshak | — | 15 params, ICAR-IISS Bhopal, portable |
Summary Cheat Sheet
| Concept / Topic | Key Details / Explanation |
|---|---|
| Soil Health Card (SHC) launch | 19 February 2015, Suratgarh, Rajasthan |
| SHC parameters | 12 total — pH, EC, OC, N, P, K, S (macro) + Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, B (micro) |
| SHC cards issued | Over 25 crore |
| SHC testing cycle | 3 years |
| SHC current status | Merged into RKVY cafeteria scheme |
| Mridaparikshak | Portable mobile soil testing lab by ICAR-IISS, Bhopal; tests 15 parameters (3 more than SHC) |
| ONOF / PMBJP | One Nation One Fertiliser; launched August 2022; covers Urea, DAP, MOP, NPK under "Bharat" brand |
| ONOF bag rule | Bharat brand + PMBJP logo on ≥ 2/3rd of bag; company logo ≤ 1/3rd |
| NBS scheme | Nutrient-Based Subsidy; from April 2010; P & K fertilizers; subsidy per kg of nutrient; urea excluded |
| PKVY | Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana; organic farming; sub-scheme under NMSA (MoAFW) |
| PKVY cluster size | Minimum 50 acres |
| PKVY financial support | Rs 50,000/ha over 3 years (inputs + seeds Rs 31,000; value addition + marketing Rs 8,800) |
| PKVY certification | PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) — peer-group, domestic market; free to farmer |
| NPOP | National Programme for Organic Production; under Ministry of Commerce & Industry via APEDA |
| NPOP logo | "India Organic" |
| NPOP certification | Third-party; farmer/exporter pays; standards equivalent to EU, Switzerland, USDA |
| NPOP market | Export-focused |
| PKVY vs NPOP | PKVY = Agriculture ministry, PGS, domestic, free; NPOP = Commerce ministry, third-party, export, paid |
| MOVCDNER | Mission Organic Value Chain Dev for NE Region; all 8 NE states; launched 2015-16; MoAFW |
| MOVCDNER model | FPO/SHG cluster; full value chain (seed → marketing); third-party NPOP certification |
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