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?

The correct answer is 3 only.

Let us analyze each statement carefully in the context of India's Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme, launched by the Government of India in 2015 under the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare.

What is the Soil Health Card Scheme?
The scheme aims to provide every farmer a Soil Health Card once every two years. The card carries crop-wise recommendations of nutrients and fertilizers required for individual farms, helping farmers improve productivity through judicious use of inputs.

Statement 1: "Expanding the cultivable area under irrigation."
This is INCORRECT. The Soil Health Card Scheme has nothing to do with expanding irrigated area. Expanding irrigation coverage is the objective of schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). The SHC Scheme focuses entirely on soil nutrient analysis and management — not on water resources or irrigation infrastructure.

Statement 2: "Enabling banks to assess the quantum of loans to be granted to farmers on the basis of soil quality."
This is INCORRECT. The Soil Health Card is not a financial instrument and is not intended to assist banks in credit assessment or loan disbursal decisions. It is a purely agronomic tool meant to guide farmers on soil health and nutrient management. Linking it to banking or credit functions misrepresents its purpose entirely.

Statement 3: "Checking the overuse of fertilizers in farmlands."
This is CORRECT. This is one of the primary objectives of the Soil Health Card Scheme. By providing soil test-based, crop-specific fertilizer recommendations, the scheme directly addresses the problem of indiscriminate and excessive use of chemical fertilizers (especially urea). This helps:
- Reduce input costs for farmers
- Prevent soil degradation caused by over-fertilization
- Promote balanced and efficient nutrient use

Conclusion:
Only Statement 3 correctly identifies an objective of the Soil Health Card Scheme. Statements 1 and 2 describe objectives that belong to entirely different government programs and are not associated with this scheme in any way. Therefore, the correct answer is 3 only.