Erratic monsoon rainfall in India

7-Dec-2022: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh says, five states of U.P., Bihar, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Nagaland have shown significant decreasing trends in southwest monsoon rainfall during recent 30 years’ period (1989-2018)

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Five states viz., Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Nagaland have shown significant decreasing trends in southwest monsoon rainfall during the recent 30 years’ period (1989-2018).

In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has carried out an analysis of observed monsoon rainfall variability and changes of 29 States & Union Territory at State and District levels based on the IMD’s observational data of recent 30 years (1989- 2018) during the Southwest monsoon season from June to September (JJAS) and issued a report on 30 March 2020. The reports on observed rainfall variability and its trend for each State and Union Territory are available in IMD website (https://mausam.imd.gov.in/) under “PUBLICATIONS” as well as in IMD Pune website;

http://www.imdpune.gov.in/hydrology/rainfall%20variability%20page/rainfall%20trend.html

Dr. Singh stated the highlights of the report as;

The annual rainfall over these five states along with the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh also show significant decreasing trends.

Other states do not show any significant changes in southwest monsoon rainfall during the same period.

Considering district-wise rainfall, there are many districts in the country, which show significant changes in southwest monsoon and annual rainfall during the recent 30 years period (1989-2018). With regard to the frequency of heavy rainfall days, significant increasing trend is observed over Saurashtra & Kutch, Southeastern parts of Rajasthan, Northern parts of Tamil Nadu, Northern parts of Andhra Pradesh and adjoining areas of Southwest Odisha, many parts of Chhattisgarh, Southwest Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Manipur & Mizoram, Konkan& Goa and Uttarakhand.

IMD has an effective forecast and dissemination mechanism through which necessary warnings and advisories are issued throughout the country well in advance for preparedness. The information on change in rainfall pattern is also shared with other stakeholders for its effective use and planning.

7-Feb-2020: Steps to reduce Dependency on Monsoon

The Water Resources Projects are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the State Governments themselves, as per their own resources and priority. In order to supplement their efforts, Government of India provides technical and financial assistance to State Governments to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources through various schemes and programmes such as, Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) etc.

During 2016-17, ninety-nine (99) on-going Major/Medium irrigation projects under PMKSY- AIBP, having ultimate irrigation potential of 76.03 lakh hectares at an estimated cost of Rs. 77595 Crore (Central Assistance component of Rs. 31342 Crore) have been prioritized in consultation with States, for completion in phases up to December, 2019, along with their Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM) works. Funding mechanism through NABARD has been approved by the Government for both Central and State Shares.

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare through ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad, has prepared detailed crop Contingency Plans for 650 districts. States have been advised for preparing, updating, and fine-tuning Contingency Plans for each district in consultation with CRIDA-ICAR and the State Agriculture Universities and to prepare location specific remedial measures based on these contingency plans in the event of late arrival of monsoon, long dry spells, scanty rainfall, drought conditions, tying up availability of seeds and other inputs for implementing the Contingency Plans.

To mitigate the advance impact of drought, State Governments are advised to initiate advance remedial action e.g. constructing water harvesting structures under MGNREGA and other such schemes, promoting agronomic practices for moisture conservation, promoting cultivation of less water consuming crops and restoring irrigation infrastructure by desilting canals, energizing tube-wells and replacing/repairing faulty pumps. Further, the States are also advised to carry out periodic assessment of preparation for kharif crops, particularly contingency crops.

States have been advised to keep aside about 5 to 10% of fund allocated under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) for undertaking appropriate interventions, if the situation so warrants, to minimize the adverse impact of an aberrant monsoon on the agriculture sector. The Central Government implements Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) / Central Sector (CS) Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), the Rainfed Area Development Programme (RADP), National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), etc. which contribute towards drought proofing. Twenty five percent of total outlay for all CSS Schemes (except for schemes, which emanate from a legislation, e.g., MGNREGA), can be used as flexi funds to enable mitigation/ restoration activities in cases of natural calamities.

Kisan Portal subsumes all mobile based initiatives in the field of agriculture and allied sector. Officers, Scientists and Experts from all organizations and Department of the Government of India and State Governments {including State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Krishi Vigyan Kendras(KVKs) and Agro- Meteorological Field Units (AMFUs)} are using this Portal for disseminating information (giving topical & seasonal advisories and providing services through SMSs to farmers in their local languages) on various agricultural activities to registered farmers.

The Department of Land Resources (DoLR) has sanctioned 8214 watershed development projects in 28 States (except Goa) from 2009-10 to 2014-15, covering an area of about 39.07 million hectares under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP). IWMP was amalgamated as the Watershed Development Component (WDC) of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) in 2015-16. An amount of Rs.18429.37 Crore has been released to the concerned States as Central Share from 2009-10 to 2019-20 (upto 31.12.2019) under WDC-PMKSY. The activities being undertaken inter alia include ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, rain water harvesting, nursery raising, afforestation, horticulture, pasture development, livelihoods for asset less persons etc.

As per information provided by the States, since 2014-15 (upto 31.12.2019), 6.15 lakh water harvesting structures have been created/rejuvenated. An additional 13.84 lakh hectare area has been brought under protective irrigation. An advisory has been issued to the States in May 2019 to take necessary steps for intensive Water Conservation and Water Harvesting efforts under WDC-PMKSY.

Financial assistance is provided to the farmers in the form of input subsidy, where crop loss is 33% and above, in the event of notified natural calamities. The assistance provided is different for different categories of cultivated lands, as detailed below:

(a) For agriculture crops, horticulture crops and annual plantation crops

(b) Perennial crops

(a)(i) Rs. 6800/- per hectare in rainfed areas and restricted to sown areas.

(ii) Rs. 13,500/- per hectare in assured irrigated areas, subject to minimum assistance not less than Rs. 1000/- and restricted to sown areas.

(b)Rs. 18,000/- per hectare for all types of perennial crops, subject to minimum assistance not less than Rs. 2000/- and restricted to sown areas.

Rs. 6000/- per hectare for Muga.