By Dr. Gyan Pathak
Monsoon flooded large part of the country during the first eight days of July with 42 per cent above-normal rainfall causing heavy loss of lives and property. Rain deficit in June was 40 per cent. Northwest, central and western India suffered from the excess rains. The eastern, northeastern and central regions suffered the most from deficit rainfall. The deficient rainfall in June and heavy rainfall in the first week of July have thus created multiple challenges and put the country’s preparedness to test.
Though the Union Government has announced several measures, the situation remains grim, because of uncertainty in the monsoon pattern. Extreme weather events are expected due to the impact of climate change. Even deficit regions can experience intense and heavy rainfall that may create havoc, which requires much more than our national and state governments are prepared for. Deficient rainfall in large part of the country can also impact India’s food security, because farmers are not properly supported to deal with the situation arising out of it.
With heavy rainfall during July 1 – July 8, when India received 92.3 mm of rain against the normal 65.1 mm, the overall seasonal deficit from June 1 to July 8, have narrowed down to 15.2 per cent. It recovered from 40 per cent deficit in June, which was the fifth-driest June since 1901. The cumulative seasonal data shows that rainfall between June 1 and July 8 stood at 195.5 mm against normal 230.4 mm during 1971-2020.
Foods, lightning, cloudbursts, landslides, waterlogging etc have been reported from many states, and the disruption in normal life and loss of life and property shows that administrations across the states were not prepared for that.
On the other hand, the deficient rainfall has created another set of problems, which included drinking water crisis and delayed sowing of crops. Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Sigh Chouhan said on July 8 that Kharif sowing has so far been completed over 350.85 lakh hectares, which is approximately 91.95 lakh hectares lower than the corresponding period last year. He said that the delayed onset of the monsoon has particularly affected soybean and cotton sowing. However, farmers have been advised to cultivate short-duration and low water-intensive crops such as maize, Bajra, and Moong to minimise the impact of delayed rainfall.
Amid uncertainty in the southwest monsoon due to the potential impact of El Niño, he said that the Government of India, is addressing the situation with comprehensive preparedness, a clear strategy, and strong ground-level action. While challenges remain, the entire system has been activated in advance and is working proactively to mitigate their impact.
After recording a 33% rainfall deficit in June, the monsoon situation has shown improvement in July, with the overall deficit narrowing to 24%, Chouhan said, adding that several parts of the country have received good rainfall in recent days, resulting in the number of rainfall-deficient districts declining from 262 to 178.
Centre is maintaining close monitoring of the situation in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, and Odisha. Ministry of Agriculture still believes that rainfall would gain further momentum during July, leading to an acceleration in Kharif sowing.
Government had initiated preparations for this challenge as early as April. In collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, contingency plans were prepared for districts likely to be affected and shared with state governments well in advance. As part of the ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ conducted in June, more than 1.24 lakh programs were organised across the country, directly reaching over 80 lakh farmers, Union Minister for Agriculture said.
To ensure uninterrupted sowing operations, Chouhan has said that the Government has maintained a national seed reserve of approximately 1.75 lakh quintals, ensuring adequate seed availability under all circumstances. He further stated that the Kisan Credit Card campaign has been intensified, with more than 94,000 applications approved out of 1.14 lakh applications received by June 30.
Chouhan has briefed the media that efforts are being intensified to increase farmers’ participation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, ensuring financial protection for farmers in the event of crop losses due to adverse weather conditions.
Union Minister of Agriculture said that an extensive monitoring mechanism has been put in place keeping the possibility of El Niño in view. The El Niño Monitoring Cell, Crop Weather Watch Group, State-level Control Rooms, and designated officers are continuously monitoring the progress of the monsoon, crop sowing, crop conditions, and market trends. He claimed that the Government is not only monitoring the evolving situation but is fully equipped to address every challenge through well-defined processes, adequate resources, and timely interventions, ensuring that farmers receive all necessary support during the Kharif season.
Nevertheless, India needs much more than the Union government has announced so far. Disaster management system and administration are needed to work harder to protect people with more care and sensitivity. Monsoon has covered entire India by July 9, only a day later than usual, but situation is far from normal demanding intensive monitoring of the situations – both of heavy and deficient rainfall. Providing timely relief and taking appropriate actions will be the real test. (IPA Service)
