Relief due to monsoon improvement in July; districts with deficient rainfall decrease: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

New Delhi [India], July 8 (ANI): Amid the monsoon uncertainty arising from the potential impact of El Nino, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday stated the central government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is actively managing the situation with thorough preparedness, a clear strategy, and robust ground action.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that while challenges exist, the system is proactive and vigilant in addressing them. He said that after a 33 percent rainfall deficit in June, the situation improved in July, with the deficit now reduced to 24 percent. Recent widespread rains in various parts of the country have led to a decline in the number of districts with deficient rainfall from 262 to 178, according to an official release.
Following a high-level review meeting, Chouhan told reporters that special monitoring is being conducted in states including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, and Odisha. It is expected that rainfall will pick up pace in July, thereby accelerating Kharif sowing.
Chouhan noted that sowing has currently been completed in 350.85 lakh hectares, which is approximately 91.95 lakh hectares less than the previous year. The Minister said that the delay in the monsoon has affected soybean and cotton crops; however, farmers have been advised to opt for short-duration and low-water-consuming crops such as maize, millet (bajra), and moong, the release noted.
Chouhan stated that the government began preparations for this challenge back in April. In collaboration with ICAR, contingency plans for districts likely to be affected have been prepared and shared with the states. He said that under the "Khet Bachao Abhiyan" (Save the Farm Campaign) conducted in June, more than 1.24 lakh programs were organised, directly reaching over 80 lakh farmers.
Chouhan added that a national seed reserve of approximately 1.75 lakh quintals has been kept ready to ensure availability, so that sowing remains unaffected under any circumstances. Simultaneously, the Kisan Credit Card campaign has been accelerated, with over 94,000 out of 1.14 lakh applications received by June 30 already approved, the release stated.
He mentioned that efforts are underway to increase farmer participation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to ensure financial security in the event of any potential losses.
Chouhan stated that considering the possibilities of El Nino, the monitoring system is fully active. The El Nino Monitoring Cell, Crop Weather Watch Group, state-level control rooms, and appointed officers are continuously tracking the monsoon, sowing progress, crop health, and market conditions, the minister noted.
The Minister highlighted that the government is not merely observing the situation but is fully prepared to tackle every challenge with robust processes, adequate resources, and a time-bound strategy. (ANI)