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| Delayed monsoon makes govt worried, Met dept still hopeful | | El Nino effect responsible for break in monsoon cycle | | Agencies
New Delhi, June 23:
With the country receiving 45% less than normal rain in June this year, the UPA government is clearly worried as a failed monsoon will undoubtedly hinder the prospect of economic recovery.
As per the Indian Metrological Department (IMD), rainfall so far has been well below normal and the onset of monsoon in large rain-dependent agricultural states of central India has been delayed, forcing water levels to fall sharply and hampering irrigation in many parts.
However, the department is still hopeful of a revival in the Southwest monsoon in the crucial month of July. Water stock in 81 key reservoirs across the country that account for 72 percent of India’s total reservoir stock indicate that the current storage is just 10 percent of full reservoir capacity and 20 percent of last year’s storage.
Any less than optimum monsoon is a cause of serious concern for the Dr Manmohan Singh led UPA govt as it will directly hit its food security plan, and also adversely affect the annual growth forecast for the country.
The government is now working on a comprehensive contingency plan to tackle the possibility of the crucial south-west monsoon being delayed beyond June 23 in the central and northern regions of the country.
The Centre is scurrying to supply drought-resistant varieties of seeds to regions dependent on rain-fed agriculture. A delayed monsoon also lowers any hope of export of grains being revived in the near term. A bad monsoon will further mean poor agricultural output and, in turn, poor sales for everyone from consumer goods manufacturers to tractor makers to motorcycle manufacturers. And, what’s adding to the woes is the lack of confidence in Met officials on the chances for early arrival of monsoon.
Met officials are also blaming the El Nino effect - an unusual ocean current – as responsible for break in monsoon cycle this year which may have led directly to a breakdown in the normally settled summer weather of southern and central Europe.
An El Nino event is the warming of the ocean surface off the western coast of South America that occurs every 4 to 12 years creating unusual weather patterns globally including possible suppression of the Indian monsoon
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