New Delhi:
The country has received only 83 per cent of rainfall in July with the situation in parts of central and southern India remaining particularly grim, even as the weatherman predicted an improvement in the situation in coming days.
"Until now, July has witnessed minus 17 per cent of rainfall," India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Laxman Singh Rathore said.
He, however, said that there was no need to panic as far as overall agriculture is concerned.
"The situation is not good in Southern Peninsula particularly in north interior Karnataka, Rayalseema region of Andhra Pradesh, some districts of Telangana, Marathwada, Vidharba and central Maharashtra. Some districts in Bihar and East UP too are facing problem, but they are still better than the Southern Peninsula.
"The situation is improving and it will remain to be so till August 5," Mr Rathore added.
"Heavy to very heavy rainfall" is expected to occur in west Madhya Pradesh, east and west Rajasthan, Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch region with the presence of a depression.
A similar depression will also give "heavy to very heavy rainfall" in Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal thereafter on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Agriculture depends on monsoon in India. The IMD, which has predicted a "deficient" rainfall this year, has predicted minus 7 and minus 10 per cent of precipitation in July and August, respectively.
The total sown area as on July 24, as per reports received from states, stands at 693.83 lakh hectare as compared to lakh hectare at this time last year.
It is reported that rice has been sown/transplanted in 188.52 lakh hectare, pulses in 72.64 lakh hectare, coarse cereals in 135.77 lakh hectare, oilseeds in 143.02 lakh hectare and cotton in 99.52 lakh hectare.