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Govt readies plan to face rain scarcity

The government has drawn up a contingency plan to remain prepared "if monsoon fails" even though it is hopeful of its arrival in north India in the next five days.

"Government is keeping its fingers crossed hoping that the monsoon will come early next week as forecast by the met department, but in case it doesn't, we will not be caught napping," Union Agricuture Minister Ajit Singh said in New Delhi.

The government said it will only declare drought if there are no rains till July 31.

After a meeting with the officials of the Indian Meteorological Department, he said a contingency plan is in place under which an official of the joint secretary level in all the states will coordinate relief for the farmers.

States like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been the worse affected and even if monsoon arrives now, it will be late to grow soyabean and bajra.

These states have been asked to grow alternative crops like gowar and moth for which the sowing time is a little later, he added.

It is now for the states to declare a particular region as drought affected after which payment of dues by the farmers will be put on hold.

Even otherwise arrangements are being made to ensure that there is no shortage of certified seeds, tube wells are repaired in time and power supply is adequate in the rural areas to use irrigation facilities.

"However, met officials told me that a low pressure area is building up in the coastal areas which will result in rains here within five days, we are hoping for the best but are also prepared for any eventuality," he added.

The monsoon rains are vital for India's agricultural sector, which accounts for 25 per cent of the country's gross domestic product and provides employment to 70 per cent of its one billion people.

"The behaviour of the monsoon in the past two weeks has been erratic," an agriculture ministry statement said, adding that in the week ended July 10, weak monsoon conditions prevailed almost over the entire country.

It said out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions, 25 remained practically dry. The cumulative rainfall from June 1 to July 10 was also deficient in 20 divisions, covering 12 states including most of the northern states.

The IMD had said in May the four-month June-September monsoon was expected to be normal, making it the 14th successive normal monsoon season. It defines a monsoon as normal if overall rainfall is 10 per cent above or below the long term average.

The monsoon set over Kerala on schedule early June and covered the western parts of the country but its progress in northwest India has been tardy.

Oilseeds and cotton growing states including Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharshtra are yet to receive a second spell of rains threatening the crops.

WATER AVAILABILITY

The statement said the deficient rainfall had also affected the availability of water in the reservoirs and the recharging of surface and ground water.

Orissa, which is faced with an imminent drought, is planning to ask the central government for help, the state's revenue minister Biswabhushan Harichandan said.

"We are faced with a crisis" Harichandan told reporters in state capital Bhubaneswar.

He said all the 30 districts of the state, except Koraput, had received less than normal rainfall during this season.

While several parts of the country received scanty rains, Bihar and Assam have faced floods in recent days caused by heavy rains. Several thousands have been left homeless by overflowing rivers.

(With addtional inputs from Reuters)

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