Monsoon deficiency reduces to 2% till Monday: IMD

New Delhi, July 4: With most parts of the country receiving more than normal rainfall during the last one week, the overall monsoon deficiency has reduced to 2% till Monday from 13% a week back. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the quantum of rainfall so far can be termed as 'normal' against 'deficient' level prevailed just a couple of days back.

This is expected to boost sowing of kharif crops — paddy, oilseeds and pulses — during the next couple of weeks.

The Met department on Monday stated that the quantum of rainfall during June 1-July 4 has been 193 mm, only 2% less than benchmark long-period average. According to IMD data, till now, 39% of the country’s area has got 'excess' rainfall while 45% have received 'normal' rainfall. Only 16% of the areas have received deficient rainfall while 6% have received scanty rainfall.

According to IMD, the southwest monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of Gujarat, remaining parts of east Rajasthan and west Rajasthan. “Heavy to very heavy rain very likely at places over Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Assam and Meghalaya, Vidarbha, Jharkhand, West Bengal & Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Konkan & Goa, coastal Karnataka and Kerala during the next 48 hours,” IMD said in its latest bulletin.

The monsoon had hit the Kerala coast only on June 8 against the usual date of June 1. “The monsoon has picked up pace in the last ten days or so. This has pulled down over deficiency significantly,” an IMD official said.