-PTI India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected an “above normal” rainfall this year. New Delhi: With the onset of South-West monsoon, the government expects sowing operations to gain momentum that will lead to higher production this year after two successive droughts. After a delay of almost seven days, Southwest Monsoon finally hit Kerala today. India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected an “above normal” rainfall this year. “The monsoon is arriving at almost the same...

-The Hindu ‘Southwest monsoon will set in over Kerala in next 3 or 4 days’ Even while maintaining that the torrential rain in Kerala was pre-monsoon showers, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said in an update to its April monsoon forecast that rainfall would be 6% above the 50-year average of 89 cm. Rains over north-west India would be 8% more; over Central and South India 13% more and over north-east...

-PTI New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) will start giving State-specific monsoon forecast from next year. “IMD will start making State-wise monsoon forecast from 2017 apart from zone-wise predictions,” Union Minister for Earth Sciences Harsh Vardhan said. The Secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences M Rajeevan said from 2018-19 it will be extended to include other seasons. The IMD currently gives zone-specific daily monsoon forecast during the season for north-west, central India,...

-The Economic Times PUNE: Forecast of excess rainfall this monsoon season is heartening after back to back droughts, but it's also likely to bring along a lot of problems for the country's farmers, agriculture experts said. Initial lethargy in monsoon's progress, coupled with possibility of excess rainfall during the latter part of the season, may bring problems for crops like soyabean, pulses, jowar and maize during their harvest time, while pest and...

Situation alarming: More than one-third population hit by drought   The country is facing severe drought for the second consecutive year. Conservative estimates from official sources show that over a quarter of rural habitations are facing drinking water scarcity. Although both India Meteorological Department and Skymet have predicted a more than normal rainfall during June-September, 2016, the water storage available in 91 major reservoirs of the country has declined from 22 percent...