Context:
Bhu-Vision, also known as KRISHI-RASTAA Soil Testing System has been officially launched at AICRP (ICAR-IIRR), Hyderabad.
About Bhu-Vision:
- Internet of Things (IoT) based automated soil testing and agronomy advisory platform
- It can conduct 12 key soil parameter tests (like pH value, electrical conductivity etc.).
- It can immediately send the summary of results in a soil health card to mobile devices.
- Developed by: ICAR-IIRR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Indian Institute of Rice Research), Hyderabad and KrishiTantra (an Agri-tech start-up).
Indian Institute of Rice Research was established as All India Coordinated Rice Improvement Project (AICRIP) by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 1965 which is headquartered at Hyderabad.
Soil Health Card Scheme:
- Introduced by – Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
- Soil Health Card (SHC) – A printed report which contains nutrient status of soil with respect to 12 nutrients.
- Provided to all farmers in the country at an interval of 3 years
- Purpose – To enable the farmers to apply recommended doses of nutrients based on soil test values
- A field-specific detailed report of soil fertility status.
- Norms –
- Soil samples are drawn in a grid of 2.5 ha in irrigated areas and 10 ha in rain-fed areas.
- Soil Samples are collected 2 times in a year (after Rabi and Kharif Crop or when there is no standing crop)
Soil Health Card Day commemorates the day when the SHC scheme was launched on February 19, 2015.
Source: Times Tech
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
The nation-wide ‘Soil Health Card Scheme’ aims at
- Expanding the cultivable area under irrigation.
- Enabling the banks to assess the quantum of loans to be granted to farmers on the basis of soil quality.
- Checking the overuse of fertilizers in farmlands.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
