{"id":14454,"date":"2026-07-14T16:49:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T11:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/?post_type=academic_content&#038;p=14454"},"modified":"2026-07-14T16:49:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T11:19:25","slug":"soils-of-india","status":"publish","type":"academic_content","link":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/soils-of-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Soils of India: Types, Distribution, Characteristics, Importance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The soils of India are one of the most valuable natural resources for the country and form the basis for agriculture, biodiversity, and sustainable development. The diverse climate, topography and geological formations of India in different regions have resulted in several major soil types, which can be differentiated by physical and chemical characteristics. Nature: India has eight major soil groups, namely Alluvial, Black, Red &amp; Yellow, Laterite, Arid (Desert), Forest &amp; Mountain and Saline &amp; Alkaline (or Peaty and Marshy) soils as per the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These soils are different from each other regarding fertility, texture, moisture retention and the types of crops that they can grow. Soil gives life to crops, forests and grasslands in combination with the climate of a region. Understanding its kinds, distribution, characters, and significance creates an impact on Indian Agriculture-Environment Conservation-Rural Development so we will try to know each and everything relating to it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Classification of Indian Soils<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Indian soils are classified based on their formation, composition, texture, colour, climate, fertility history and origin. India has 8 major soil types according to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), which are divided into Alluvial, Black, Red &amp; Yellow, laterite, Arid (Desert), Forest &amp; Mountain, Saline &amp; Alkaline and Peaty &amp; Marshy soils that exhibit different crops within each territory.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Alluvial Soil &#8211; Soils of India<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Characterised by deposition of sediments carried down by rivers Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Is the largest soil group covering around 40% of the total geographical area of India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Common throughout the Northern Plains, Assam Valley, and coastal deltas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Potash, lime, and phosphoric acid are very abundant, but nitrogen and humus are generally in lack.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bhangar or old alluvium. Khadar or new alluvium.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Very productive and suitable for rice, wheat, sugarcane, maize, jute, pulses and oilseeds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Great at retaining moisture and very easy to grow.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regarded as the backbone of Indian agriculture<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Black Soil (Regur Soil) &#8211; Soils of India<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mainly sourced from weathering of basaltic lava rocks of the Deccan Plateau.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mainly found in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is high in lime, iron, magnesium and alumina.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fights the high clay content, making it great for holding moisture.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Deep cracks develop in summer, allowing for better aeration of the soil.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Commonly referred to as Cotton Soil\u2014because it is well-suited for growing cotton.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ideal for soybean, sugarcane, wheat, tobacco and pulses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Naturally fertile but low in nitrogen and phosphorus.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Red and Yellow Soil &#8211; Soils of India<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Developed from the breakdown of very old crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Habitat &#8211; Native to areas of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and parts of Jharkhand<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Red colour comes from Iron oxide.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Looks yellow, caused by hydrated iron content<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Credibility: More permeable soil with reduced water retention capabilities<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Low in nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Irrigated with minor use, mainly suitable for millets, groundnut &amp; pulses, cotton and oilseeds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fertility increases with the use of fertilisers &amp; organic manure.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Laterite Soil &#8211; Soils of India<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Established in warm and humid environments through strong leaching.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Distribution: Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Assam.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Combination of titanium oxides and aluminium oxides.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Deficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus, lime and potash.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The upper layer hardens when it&#8217;s exposed to sunlight.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Requires fertilisers for productive farming.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ideal for tea, coffee, rubber, coconut, cashew and spices.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also massively used as a building block [after cutting into blocks]<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Arid (Desert) Soil &#8211; Soils of India<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">More commonly seen in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Particularly: formed in hotter and drier climatic conditions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Light, low organic matter sandy soil.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Evaporation with a poor water retention capacity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Highly soluble salts but usually low humus or nitrogen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Often alkaline in nature.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Well suited for millets, barley, guar, and fodder crops under irrigated conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traditional agricultural activities were supported by irrigation projects like the Indira Gandhi Canal.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Forest and Mountain Soil &#8211; Soils of India<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Present in the Himalayan region, Western Ghats and other hilly areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Caused by climatic conditions within the mountains and forest flora.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Deep in organic matter and humus at high altitudes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Elevation dictates texture, ranging from coarse to loamy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Acidic in nature in high-rainfall places.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supports dense forests and biodiversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adaptation to tea, coffee, spices, temperate fruits and medicinal plants.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Highly vulnerable to soil erosion from steep hills.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Saline and Alkaline Soil &#8211; Soils of India<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Often known as Usara or Reh soils in certain areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Widely distributed across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and coastal regions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Toxicity of soluble salts on crop growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Small particle size causes poor soil structure and less fertility.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Resulting from irrigation, drainage and intrusion of seawater.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The second is through the use of gypsum for soil reclamation and adequate drainage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use: Suitable for salt-resistant crops after reclamation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Key for examination of land degradation and soil management.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Peaty and Marshy Soil &#8211; Soils of India<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Typical accumulation in moist and swampy places of vegetal mati\u00e8re.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Location: Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Sundarbans<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is high in humus, giving it a dark black colour.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Aqueous, rich in organic carbon and acidic<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Poor drainage limits agricultural use.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After drainage improvement, it is suitable for paddy, jute and some plantation crops.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supports wetland ecosystems and biodiversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Critical for carbon sequestration and ecosystem health.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Importance of Soils of India<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Agriculture&#8217;s Base: The Indian soil helps in cultivating the staple food grains, cash crops, fruits, vegetables and plantation crops that guarantee national food security.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supports Crop Diversification: Alluvial soil provides a favourable growing environment for crops like wheat and rice, while black soil is used to grow cotton, and laterite soil supports tea and coffee plantations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supports Biodiversity: Soil is home to microorganisms, insects and plant species<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nutrient Provider: Soil provides important nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium that plants need to grow.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Water Conservation: Healthy soils act like a sponge to soak up rainwater, recharge groundwater and reduce floods and droughts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Forestry Support: Forest and mountain soils support forests that conserve biodiversity, act to stabilise climate, and prevent soil erosion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use of Soil for Industries: Some soils like laterite and clay are used in making bricks, cement, ceramics and construction materials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carbon Storage: Soil stores organic carbon as part of the soil ecosystem and the natural carbon store of the Earth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Environmental Protection: Well-structured soils are less prone and resistant to erosion, which leads to better water quality; soil conditions are favourable for vegetation resistance against desertification, land degradation prevention and sustainable use of all natural resources.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Important Government Schemes Related to Soils of India<\/b><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Scheme<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Launched By<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Key Objective<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Soil Health Card Scheme (SHC)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers Welfare (2015)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Provides farmers with <\/span><b>soil health cards<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> containing information on soil nutrients and fertiliser recommendations to improve productivity.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers Welfare<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Promotes <\/span><b>sustainable farming<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, integrated nutrient management, soil health, and efficient water use under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers Welfare<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Encourages <\/span><b>organic farming<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> through cluster-based cultivation to improve soil fertility and reduce chemical fertiliser use.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Government of India<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Enhances irrigation efficiency and promotes <\/span><b>soil and water conservation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> through watershed development.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Watershed Development Component of PMKSY (WDC\u2013PMKSY)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Department of Land Resources<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Focuses on <\/span><b>soil conservation, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and land restoration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in rainfed areas.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>National Project on Soil Health and Fertility (NPSHF)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers Welfare<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Strengthens <\/span><b>soil testing laboratories<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, nutrient management, and balanced fertiliser use across the country.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY-RAFTAAR)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers Welfare<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supports state-specific agriculture projects, including <\/span><b>soil health improvement, land development, and sustainable agriculture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ICAR<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develops technologies to improve <\/span><b>soil health, climate resilience, and sustainable farming<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> under changing climatic conditions.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Also Read<\/h2>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;border-collapse: collapse;text-align: center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 12px;border: 1px solid #000\"><a style=\"color: #393fd7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/yamuna-river-system-upsc-notes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yamuna River System<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 12px;border: 1px solid #000\"><a style=\"color: #393fd7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/son-river-origin-upsc-notes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Son River<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 12px;border: 1px solid #000\"><a style=\"color: #393fd7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/jhelum-river\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jhelum River System<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 12px;border: 1px solid #000\"><a style=\"color: #393fd7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/indus-river\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indus River System<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 12px;border: 1px solid #000\"><a style=\"color: #393fd7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/godavari-river-system-upsc-notes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Godavari River System<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 12px;border: 1px solid #000\"><a style=\"color: #393fd7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/indian-river-systems-upsc-notes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indian River Systems<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 12px;border: 1px solid #000\"><a style=\"color: #393fd7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/kaveri-river\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kaveri River<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 12px;border: 1px solid #000\"><a style=\"color: #393fd7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/narmada-river\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Narmada River Explained<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 12px;border: 1px solid #000\"><a style=\"color: #393fd7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/krishna-river\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Krishna River System<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 12px;border: 1px solid #000\"><a style=\"color: #393fd7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/sutlej-river\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sutlej River System<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">FAQs on Soils of India<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"cfaq-wrapper\" data-multiple=\"0\"><div class=\"cfaq-item cfaq-open\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"true\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">1. How many major soil types are found in India?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\"><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">&nbsp;According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), India has eight major soil types: Alluvial, Black, Red &amp; Yellow, Laterite, Arid (Desert), Forest &amp; Mountain, Saline &amp; Alkaline, and Peaty &amp; Marshy soils.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">2. Which is the most fertile soil in India?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">&nbsp;Alluvial Soil is considered the most fertile soil in India. It covers about 40% of the country's geographical area and is ideal for crops like rice, wheat, sugarcane, maize, and jute.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">3. Which soil is known as Cotton Soil?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">Black Soil (Regur Soil) is known as Cotton Soil because of its high moisture-retaining capacity, making it ideal for cotton cultivation.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">4. Which government scheme promotes soil health in India?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">The Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme, launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers Welfare, helps farmers assess soil nutrient status and recommends balanced fertiliser use.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">5. Why are Indian soils important?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">&nbsp;Indian soils are essential for agriculture, food security, biodiversity conservation, groundwater recharge, carbon storage, and sustainable economic development. They also support a wide variety of crops and ecosystems across different climatic regions.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The soils of India are one of the most valuable natural resources for the country and form the basis for agriculture, biodiversity, and sustainable development. The diverse climate, topography and geological formations of India in different regions have resulted in several major soil types, which can be differentiated by physical and chemical characteristics. Nature: India [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":14455,"template":"","subject":[45],"class_list":["post-14454","academic_content","type-academic_content","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","subject-geography"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/academic_content\/14454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/academic_content"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/academic_content"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=14454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}