Rohtak, May 24 -- The Haryana agriculture department claims to have reduced the state's fertiliser consumption by around 1.26 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) in six months, resulting in savings of Rs.334.43 crore in subsidy expenditures. According to an affidavit submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), these measures aim to improve soil health and tackle the impact of climate change on agriculture. The affidavit was filed by agriculture director Rajnarayan Kaushik in response to suo motu proceedings initiated by the NGT. Those proceedings followed an ICAR study published in newspapers, which warned that excessive and imbalanced fertiliser use was reducing soil organic carbon and damaging soil fertility in states like Haryana and Punjab. Based on the study, the tribunal observed that imbalance in fertiliser application and climate change could affect environmental sustainability and may attract provisions of environmental laws. According to the affidavit, Haryana integrated the integrated fertiliser management system (IFMS) with the "Meri Fasal Mera Byora" portal on October 8 last year to regulate fertiliser distribution based on actual cropped area. The report stated that between October 8, 2025, and April 17 this year, Haryana recorded savings of 1,26,938 MT of fertilisers compared to the same period last year. This resulted in a financial relief of Rs.334.43 crore in subsidy expenditures. The reduction included 52,263 MT of urea, 39,993 MT of NPK fertilisers, 25,887 MT of single super phosphate, 6778 MT of triple super phosphate, and 2,017 MT of di-ammonium phosphate. The report also informed the tribunal that the government is considering fixing per-acre entitlement limits for urea and DAP to prevent indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers. Further, the report stated that Haryana has collected 48.10 lakh soil samples and issued nearly 1.08 crore soil health cards since the launch of the Soil Health Card Scheme in 2015-16. The cards provide crop-wise recommendations on fertiliser application and soil nutrient management. The agriculture department claimed that steps are being taken to promote natural farming and reduce dependence on chemical inputs. Consequently, more than 10,500 acres have been brought under natural farming in the state in 2025-26. Moreover, the state government claimed that Rs.275 crore was spent on crop residue management. It added that 3.67 lakh farmers managed their crop residue scientifically across 22.99 lakh acres and received financial assistance worth Rs.275.91 crore. The affidavit described Haryana as the only state in the country providing direct incentives for in-situ crop residue management. The report added that incorporation of paddy straw into fields improves soil organic carbon, enhances microbial activity and naturally recycles nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur....