India has put in place contingency plans covering in excess of 300 districts considered vulnerable to a weak monsoon, Farm Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday.
Chouhan made the comment after presiding over a meeting attended by state farm ministers, government officials and scientists, during which the current state of the seasonal rains was reviewed. He said monsoon downpours have so far been around 43% below average and that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) was forecasting weak rainfall through the week ending July 2.
The IMD defines "average" monsoon rainfall as falling between 96% and 104% of a 50-year benchmark of 87 centimetres for the June-to-September season. The weather office had warned last month that an El Niño influence would weaken the 2026 monsoon, projecting it could be the lowest in 11 years.
The summer monsoon supplies roughly 70% of India's annual rainfall for a population of about 1.4 billion people. Those seasonal rains are a primary mechanism for replenishing reservoirs, aquifers and other water sources across the country. That role is particularly critical because nearly half of cultivated land in India remains without irrigation, and around half the population earns income from farming.
Chouhan also said that India currently holds adequate stocks of staples such as rice and wheat.
Context and next steps
The meeting that Chouhan chaired brought together state-level ministers, technical officers and scientists to align on contingency planning and preparedness for districts flagged as at risk by the farm ministry and weather authorities. The government view, as stated by the minister, is that contingency measures have been readied for more than 300 districts affected by lower-than-normal rains.
What the rainfall figures mean
With cumulative rains reported about 43% below the IMD-defined average to date, authorities are monitoring both short-term forecasts - including the projection of weak rains through the week ending July 2 - and broader seasonal expectations tied to an El Niño forecast that the IMD released last month.
Data points reiterated in the briefing
- The IMD benchmark for average June-September rainfall is 87 centimetres, with "average" defined as 96%-104% of that benchmark.
- The monsoon typically accounts for about 70% of India s annual rainfall.
- Nearly half of Indian farmland lacks irrigation and roughly half the population relies on farming for income.
- India currently holds sufficient stocks of staples such as rice and wheat, according to the farm minister.