Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said after a review meeting that 315 districts face low monsoon rainfall risks, with contingency plans in place for affected areas.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a video conference review with state agriculture ministers, officials and district collectors on Tuesday. He stated that overall rainfall stands 43 per cent below normal so far due to El Niño conditions, with the monsoon significantly delayed.
Of the 315 districts likely affected, 111 are high priority with irrigation coverage under 25 per cent. These districts are concentrated in 12 states including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The India Meteorological Department has forecast rainfall at 90 per cent of the long period average for the season.
The ministry has set up an El Niño Monitoring Cell and a Crop Weather Watch Group. States have been directed to establish control rooms and appoint nodal officers. District Agriculture Contingency Plans prepared by ICAR and ICAR-CRIDA outline alternative crops and water use strategies for each area.
