Met sees good rain in parched east, north-east this week

Rainfall over the country’s east and north-east areas has improved in the last few days and the region could receive more showers this week, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said today.

“There has been some pick up (in rains) in eastern India and good rains will continue over Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal in the next four-five days,” B P Yadav, director at the Met department said.

He said the rainfall deficit in east and northeast has narrowed to 22 per cent from 25-26 per cent a week ago.

Overall, the country has received normal rains in most regions so far and this trend would continue for some more days, the official said.

“It is not a worrying factor in terms of rainfall barring West Bengal and Jharkhand. We will end up with good rains this year,” he said.

The official said Haryana, Delhi and Punjab could also experience good rains during the next two-three days.

Southwest monsoon rains have been widespread since July and kharif sowing of most crops, including paddy, cotton and oilseeds, has been higher than the year ago period.

As on Sunday, the seasonal rainfall in the country was 97 per cent of the long period average at 635.1 mm against the normal of 652.3 mm, IMD said.

Southwest monsoon is crucial for the country's farm economy, as more than 60 per cent of the arable land does not have irrigation facilities and farmers in the regions depend on monsoon rains.

The weather bureau has predicted the southwest monsoon this year to be normal at 102 per cent of the long period average.

The monsoon last year was the worst in 37 years at 78 per cent of the long term average.