Review plans to handle poor rains: Centre to states

The Centre today asked state chief ministers to review preparedness to deal with any adversity in case of sub-normal monsoon, even though the Met Department has forecast normal rains this year.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected normal southwest monsoon in its first stage forecast for 2017. An updated forecast will be issued next month.
"Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has written a letter to the all Chief Ministers of the states and union territories to review their preparedness to handle any weather-related contingency, if any, in advance, so that the possible adverse impact of sub-par rainfall on farmers can be mitigated," an official statement said.

The states have been asked to review the preparedness of each district in line with the District Agricultural Contingency Plans.
States have also been told to check progress made in rolling out schemes under the District Irrigation Plans of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, progress of water conservation/recharge/harvesting related works under MNREGA and water-shed management.
They have also been told to see if Drought Management Centres been set up and activated at the state headquarter and arrangements for the monitoring of drought.

States have been told to monitor progress made in the restoration of irrigation infrastructure like desiltation of canals, repair, energisation of tube-wells and replacement, repair of faulty pumps, repair of transformers/power lines.

That apart, they have been told to keep a tab on progress made in the repair of handpumps/drinking water projects.
States have been informed that they can earmark 25 per cent of funds under centrally-sponsored schemes as flexi-funds which, inter-alia, could be used for mitigation of natural calamities.
In addition, expanding the coverage of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will enable farmers to minimise risks associated with loss of production in the event of a disaster, the official statement added.
Singh hoped that all necessary and advance steps are being taken by the state governments in the interest of the farmers.

It may be noted that nearly 50 per cent of farm land is rain fed in the country.