Monsoon deficit 31 per cent during 7 days to Wednesday but relief likely

India's south-west monsoon was 31 per cent below normal during the week ended Wednesday as showers reduced over central and north-west India after above-normal rains.

Rains might resume over parts of central and north-west India in three to four days and reach south around next Thursday, the meteorological department said. Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology said central India might get another spell of rains around August 25.

Eastern India is expected to get rainfall after Saturday.

The overall shortfall in monsoon as of Thursday was nine per cent, with parts of Bihar, Karnataka, and Maharashtra staring at a drought-like situation unless there is a strong recovery.

Meanwhile, the Centre on Thursday said it was early to say whether the forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) or private firm Skymet is accurate as from June 1 to August 7, the rain was 93 per cent of the long period average.

The Union cabinet on Wednesday cleared a Rs 300-crore package in view of weak rains in some parts. This included Rs 100-crore diesel subsidy to farmers.

Officials said by the proposal, farmers would be given a subsidy of around 50 per cent on diesel for irrigation. The kharif season accounts for 90 per cent of annual paddy production, 70 per cent of coarse cereals output and 70 per cent of oilseeds' production.

By the report of the IMD, till Wednesday, there has been deficit rainfall in Meghalaya (-33 per cent), Nagaland (-58 per cent), Manipur(-20 per cent), Mizoram (-30 per cent), Bihar (-31 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (-32 per cent), Haryana (-24 per cent), Punjab (-26 per cent), Goa (-22 per cent), Maharashtra(-26 per cent), Telangana (-22 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (-24 per cent), Karnataka (-23 per cent), and Kerala (-30 per cent).