The State Government is working consistently to address the vital issue of soil health with soil testing laboratories also having been established in all the 13 districts of Uttarakhand. About 70 per cent of people in the farming community in Uttarakhand have soil health cards, said Chief Minister Harish Rawat while speaking at a programme held in Roorkee on the occasion of World Soil Day.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Chief Minister stressed that information about the health of the soil and its protection is essential for steady and progressive agriculture. Averring that about 70 per cent of the farmers in the state had soil health cards with them, the Chief Minister said that out of the 87,950 farmers in Haridwar district, soil health cards have been prepared for 77,000 farmers. He directed officials of the agriculture department to ensure that all farmers in the district are provided with soil health cards by March 31, 2017. Rawat further said that soil map should be done for the district as well as the block level. Only after identification of the soil can its health condition be improved. Having information about the elements present in the soil can help in cultivation of the crop suited to such conditions. Every person concerned must have four cards- Aadhaar card, Mukya Mantri Swasthya Beema Yojana card, soil health card and cattle health card, said the Chief Minister, while also adding that the farmers will also be issued cattle health cards.
Referring to farming in the district, Rawat said that Haridwar is progressing at a brisk pace in the agriculture sector with an increase in productivity of about 3.75 quintals per hectare and 2.15 quintals per hectare in paddy and wheat crop respectively.
He advised the farmers of the district to adopt the latest techniques available for farming activity. It is also important to change the seeds from time to time in order to enhance the productivity of the soil, he said, while adding that there is a need for increasing the productivity in the farming of sugar cane. Similarly, the latest technological aids and superior quality seeds should be used in order to encourage the cultivation of vegetables. Further, other activities like dairy production and floriculture should also be encouraged in the district, said the Chief Minister.
State Education Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani, Haridwar district magistrate Harbans Singh Chugh, departmental officials and farmers from various parts of the district were also among those present on the occasion.