Fly ash (FA)—a coal combustion residue of thermal power plants has been regarded as a problematic
solid waste all over the world. The conventional disposal methods for FA lead to degradation and
contamination of the arable land. However, several studies proposed that FA can be used as a
that may improve physical, chemical and biological properties of the degraded soils and is a
source of readily available plant micro- and macro-nutrients. Numerous studies revealed that the lower
FA incorporation in soil modifies the physico-chemical, biological and nutritional quality of the soil.
However, the higher dosage of FA incorporation results in heavy metal pollution and hinders the
microbial activity. Practical value of FA in agriculture as an ‘‘eco-friendly and economic’’ fertilizer or soil
amendments can be established after repeated field experiments for each type of soil to confirm its
quality and safety. Integrated Organic/Biotechnological approaches should be applied for the reducing
toxicity of FA contaminated site near thermal power plants. Overall, study reveals that FA could be
effectively used in the barren or sterile soil for improving quality and enhancing fertility. The purpose of
this paper is to explore the possibility of FA addition into degraded soils for improving nutritional and
physico-chemical properties.