Despite the delay in advance of monsoon, India is expected to get more rains this season than earlier predicted by the weather office.
As per an update to the monsoon forecast of India Meteorological Department (IMD), rains in the June-September season will 102 per cent of the long period average. "It will be 102 per cent," Agriculture Secretary P K Basu told reporters when asked about the quantum of rainfall the country would receive this season.
In April, the IMD had said that the country would receive 98 per cent rains of the long period average (LPA). The LPA, at 89 cm, is the mean rainfall received by the country over a period of 50 years.
India had received 11 per cent less rains than normal for the June 1-23 period even as south-west monsoon, which has been virtually stationary for the past week, showed signs of advancing northwards.
The weather office said that the country received 97.4 mm rainfall for the June 1-23 period as against the normal levels of 109.6 mm. However, weather scientists have said that there was no need for alarm as there was still hope for improvement in rainfall across the country.
The southwest monsoon, which is nearly 10 days behind its normal schedule over north India, is expected to strengthen with the formation of a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal.
Since their onset on May 31, monsoon rains have made staggered progress and stopped in the tracks due to cyclone 'Phet', delaying their advance by at least 10 days to the breadbasket northern region, as well as central and northwestern parts of the country which mainly grow oilseeds.