Ninety lakh soil samples have been collected from different states for issuing of Soil Health Cards to farmers in 2015-16 against the target of 104 lakh. The states include Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Nagaland, Telangana, Sikkim, Gujarat, Bihar, Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab,West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh. Soil Health Card Scheme aims at promoting soil test based and balanced use of fertilizers so that the farmer can realize higher yields at lower cost. <br/><br/>In a statement, Agriculture Ministry said that 360 additional soil test laboratories will be made operational to test major and micro nutrients in the new financial year beginning tomorrow. So far, 1.47 crore soil health cards have been distributed by various states and 1.53 crore cards are under printing.