83% rainfall in July; situation grim in central, southern India: IMD

says there is no need to panic as far as overall agriculture is concerned

The country has received only 83 per cent of rainfall in July with the situation in parts of central and southern India remaining particularly grim, even as the weatherman predicted an improvement in the situation in coming days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"Until now, July has witnessed minus 17 per cent of rainfall," IMD Director General Laxman Singh Rathore said.

He, however, said that there was no need to panic as far as overall agriculture is concerned. The total rainfall between June 1 and July 27 is just four per cent below normal, which has fallen steadily in the last few days due to good showers over some parts of central India.