-The Business Standard The government must prepare for below-normal monsoon A massive 30 per cent deficiency in the monsoon rainfall in June, coupled with an anticipated low precipitation in September, may add to the government’s difficulties in achieving its growth and fiscal deficit targets. Agriculture may not be the only victim of poor rainfall. Its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) may have dipped to mere 15 per cent but it still...

-The Telegraph Weather scientists today predicted two weeks of active monsoon coming up but cautioned that without steady excess rainfall over the next eight weeks, the prospects of a normal monsoon this year will recede. Atmospheric conditions now appear favourable for two weeks of good rainfall across peninsular, central and northern India, but the activity is unlikely to be driven by typical monsoon season mechanisms such as depressions in the Bay of...

-The Times of India The monsoon entered its second month carrying a big rain deficit of 31%, as on July 1, with Met officials still hopeful of good rains in July and August. The next few weeks are crucial as the monsoon's performance in this period could dictate whether the government would need to respond with special measures. India Meteorological Department officials, who till last week were confident that the monsoon...

-The Hindu This year, not only did the monsoon reach India a few days late but its progress thereafter has been alarmingly lackadaisical. While Assam has been deluged and is reeling from the resulting floods, over 85 per cent of the country is suffering from far too little rain. The result is that the nationwide rainfall deficit stood at a grim 29 per cent at the end of June. Rainfall data...

There could be a turnaround in the monsoon scenario in the next four to five days, according to the latest forecast of the India Meteorological Department (IMD). In its weekly report released on Friday evening, the IMD said “an analysis of the current meteorological conditions indicate increase in rainfall activity in east, central, and north-west India due to development of the seasonal east-west trough, with embedded upper air cyclonic circulation. “The condition...