India grappling with rain deficit of 46 per cent in June; Govt. swings into action

New Delhi: Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said the government has initiated advance preparations for the Kharif season to help farmers cope with the possible impact of a weak monsoon caused by El Niño conditions.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Mr Chouhan said the country has so far recorded around 43 per cent below-normal rainfall and the monsoon is expected to remain weak during July as well.

He said nearly 315 districts across the country could be affected by deficient rainfall. Of these, 111 districts have been identified as high-priority areas where irrigation coverage is below 25 per cent. Another 76 districts fall under the medium-priority category with irrigation coverage between 25 and 50 per cent, while 128 districts have been classified as low priority due to relatively better irrigation facilities through dams and other water sources.

A majority of the vulnerable districts are located in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Mr Chouhan said, “States have been advised to promote crops such as pulses, coarse grains and oilseeds, which require less water and can perform well under difficult conditions. Scientific protocols, timely crop planning and district-level preparedness are being strengthened in coordination with the states.”

He said, “Special focus is being placed on expanding coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in potentially affected districts to ensure timely compensation in the event of crop losses.”

The Minister added that equal attention is being given to ensuring fodder availability for livestock, expanding crop insurance coverage and speeding up the issuance of Kisan Credit Cards to farmers. He said these measures would help minimise losses in case crops are damaged due to insufficient rainfall.

Mr Chouhan further said contingency plans have already been prepared for the affected districts, focusing on alternative crops, short-duration varieties, crop diversification and efficient utilisation of available water resources such as ponds, reservoirs, check dams, farm ponds and other water conservation structures.

Ray of hope:- India’s southwest monsoon is showing fresh signs of revival after nearly two weeks of stagnation, with moisture-laden winds from the Arabian Sea pushing into Mumbai, its suburbs and parts of southeast Gujarat.

According to the latest India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, the country received just 53.1 mm of rainfall between June 4 and June 22 against a normal of 97.6 mm, leaving an overall rainfall deficit of 46 per cent. Large parts of central, northern and peninsular India continue to remain in the deficient or large-deficient rainfall category, the report added.

The state-wise rainfall picture remains worrying, as per the report. Madhya Pradesh, the heart of India’s monsoon core zone, is running a 58 per cent deficit, while Maharashtra has recorded an 85 per cent shortfall.

Gujarat remains 84 per cent below normal, making it one of the worst-hit states in the country. Chhattisgarh is down 71 per cent, Jharkhand has a deficit of 71 per cent and Meghalaya is short by 81 per cent, the report said.

Satellite imagery released by the IMD on June 22 explains the reason behind the prolonged dry spell, the report noted. For days, cloud activity remained concentrated over the Bay of Bengal, eastern India and the Himalayan region, while large parts of central and western India stayed largely cloud free. The report said the absence of organised monsoon systems and weak moisture transport had prevented rain-bearing currents from advancing inland.

Meteorologists now say conditions are gradually changing, according to the report. Deep-layer monsoonal moisture has begun reaching Mumbai and adjoining regions, while moist winds are also spreading into south Gujarat, including the Surat region.

Weather maps indicate strengthening moisture transport at the mid-levels of the atmosphere, a key signal that the Arabian Sea branch of the monsoon is regaining strength, the report added