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Overuse of nitrogen (N) fertilizer to enhance agricultural production is threatening the environment. The concentrations of reactive forms (e.g., NOx, N₂O, NO₃ ⁻, NH₃) of N have increased to around 120% in the atmosphere as a result of different industrial units and use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture. The scenario compels to rethink about the role of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). Green manuring with inclusion of legumes appears to be the most feasible option. Intensive agriculture with repeated tillage, use of high-analysis fertilizers, burning of agricultural residue, and non-incorporation of biodegradable solid waste from domestic and industrial sectors into soil mass have resulted in the decline of soil organic carbon (SOC). This in turn impaired soil health, decreased soil biodiversity, and aggravated the demand for essential plant nutrients, leading to the agricultural land becoming less productive and …