Monsoon covers half of India, to help farmers accelerate crop sowing

Rainfall deficit narrows to 38 per cent from 44 per cent last week as Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat get monsoon.

India's annual monsoon rains have covered nearly half of the country and conditions are favourable for further advancement into the central and western parts this week, a weather department official said on Monday.

The monsoon's progress will help farmers to accelerate sowing of summer-sown crops, which has been lagging due to a delay in the arrival of monsoon rains.

"In the last three days, monsoon has gained momentum. It has covered the entire southern and eastern India," said an official at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), who declined to be named.

Conditions are favourable for further advancement of monsoon rains into