Monsoon to be deficient this year: Harsh Vardhan

Already hit by an agrarian crisis and farmer suicides, there was more bad news for the country with predictions of a "deficient" monsoon this year, raising fears of a drought.
"I have to say this with a heavy heart that as per our revised forecast, India will receive 88 per cent of rainfall of the Long Period Average plus or minus 4 percent," Minister for Earth Sciences Harsh Vardhan told reporters today.
Today, the Met Department revised its forecast from 93 per cent to 88 per cent Long Period Average (LPA), with north-west region of the country expected to be hit the most.

In April, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast that monsoon rains would be 93 percent of the average, which is categorised as "below normal". Now, with the revised projection of 88 per cent, the monsoon is categorised as "deficient".
"We have been working to ensure that the forecast is right. But this time let's pray to God that the revised forecast does not come true," said the minister.
When asked whether it could be a drought year, Vardhan said his department only predicts about the weather and refused to go into other aspects.
Already the country has witnessed farmer suicides in some states. After unseasonal rains earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced relaxation of norms of compensation for loss of crops due to natural calamities.

The minister said that in the last Cabinet meeting, Modi had already asked different ministries and departments to gear up for such an exigency.