Government Intensifies Kharif Preparedness Amid El Niño Threat
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has intensified comprehensive preparedness measures to address monsoon uncertainty caused by potential El Niño impact. Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, the government has activated a proactive system with clear strategy and strong ground-level action to mitigate challenges.
Monsoon Recovery and Sowing Status
Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan reported that after recording a 33% rainfall deficit in June, the monsoon situation has shown improvement in July with the overall deficit narrowing to 24%. This improvement has reduced the number of rainfall-deficient districts from 262 to 178. Kharif sowing has been completed over 350.85 lakh hectares, which is approximately 91.95 lakh hectares lower than the corresponding period last year. The delayed monsoon onset has particularly affected soybean and cotton sowing.
Preparedness Measures and Contingency Planning
The government initiated preparations as early as April, collaborating with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to prepare contingency plans for affected districts, which were shared with state governments in advance. As part of the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' conducted in June, more than 1.24 lakh programs were organized across the country, directly reaching over 80 lakh farmers. Farmers have been advised to cultivate short-duration and low water-intensive crops such as maize, Bajra, and Moong to minimize the impact of delayed rainfall.
Resource Allocation and Support Mechanisms
To ensure uninterrupted sowing operations, the government maintains a national seed reserve of approximately 1.75 lakh quintals. 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. Efforts are being intensified to increase farmers' participation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to ensure financial protection against crop losses due to adverse weather conditions.
Monitoring and Implementation Framework
An extensive monitoring mechanism has been established including the El Niño Monitoring Cell, Crop Weather Watch Group, State-level Control Rooms, and designated officers who are continuously monitoring monsoon progress, crop sowing, crop conditions, and market trends. The government is maintaining close monitoring of the situation in 13 states including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, and Odisha.