Consider the following statements :
The nation-wide ‘Soil Health Card Scheme’ aims at
- 1.expanding the cultivable area under irrigation.
- 2.enabling the banks to assess the quantum of loans to be granted to farmers on the basis of soil quality.
- 3.checking the overuse of fertilizers in farmlands.
Which of the above statements is/are correct ?
Show answer
Answer: B. Statement 1 is wrong: the Soil Health Card Scheme (2015) tests soil and does not expand irrigation; that is the job of schemes like PMKSY. Statement 2 is wrong: the card is for farmers to decide on nutrients, not for banks to fix loan amounts. Statement 3 is correct: the card gives crop-wise nutrient and fertiliser advice, which helps check overuse of fertilisers. So 3 only.
Watch for: Statement 2 sounds like a sensible extra use, but it is not a stated aim of the scheme.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because the scheme is not about irrigation or bank loans.
- C. Wrong because the scheme is not meant for bank loan assessment.
- D. Wrong because statements 1 and 2 are false.
Source to check: Soil Health Card portal (soilhealth.dac.gov.in); Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare scheme guidelines, 2015
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.