Govt steps up El Niño preparedness as monsoon improves, kharif sowing crosses 350 lakh hectares

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 8 said the government is closely monitoring the potential impact of El Nino and an extensive monitoring mechanism has been put in place, adding that rainfall would gain further momentum this month, leading to an acceleration in kharif sowing.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre is addressing the situation with comprehensive preparedness, a clear strategy, and strong ground-level action, he said.

"While challenges remain, the entire system has been activated in advance and is working proactively to mitigate their impact," the minister told media persons here.

Chouhan said that after recording a 33 per cent rainfall deficit in June, the monsoon situation has shown improvement in July, with the overall deficit narrowing to 24 per cent.

Meanwhile, several parts of the country have received good rainfall in recent days, resulting in the number of rainfall-deficient districts declining from 262 to 178.

The government said it is closely monitoring the situation in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, and Odisha.

Kharif sowing has so far been completed over 350.85 lakh hectares, which is approximately 91.95 lakh hectares lower than the corresponding period last year.

The minister said the delayed onset of the monsoon has particularly affected soybean and cotton sowing.

"However, farmers have been advised to cultivate short-duration and low water-intensive crops such as maize, bajra, and moong to minimise the impact of delayed rainfall," he maintained.

In collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, contingency plans were prepared for districts likely to be affected and shared with state governments well in advance.

As part of the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' conducted in June, more than 1.24 lakh programmes were organised across the country, directly reaching over 80 lakh farmers.

Moreover, the government has maintained a national seed reserve of approximately 1.75 lakh quintals, ensuring adequate seed availability under all circumstances.

Chouhan further stated that the Kisan Credit Card campaign has been intensified, with more than 94,000 applications approved out of 1.14 lakh applications received by June 30.

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