El Nino Alert: Govt Monitors Jharkhand as Kharif Sowing Lags

Centre Ramps Up Monsoon Contingency Plans

New Delhi (IANS): The Union Government has placed Jharkhand among the high-priority states under close observation as it intensifies nationwide preparedness to counter the potential impacts of the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Wednesday that a robust, extensive monitoring mechanism is now tracking Jharkhand and 12 other vulnerable states to protect farmers from erratic rainfall.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Centre is tackling the situation with a comprehensive strategy and strong ground-level action.

“While challenges remain, we have activated the entire system in advance. We are working proactively to mitigate the impact of El Nino,” Chouhan told reporters in New Delhi.

Monsoon Deficit Narrows, But Sowing Lags

Chouhan revealed that while June recorded a steep 33% rainfall deficit, active monsoon systems in July have improved the situation, narrowing the overall national deficit to 24%. Recent spells have also reduced the number of rainfall-deficient districts across the country from 262 down to 178.

Despite the recovery, delayed rains have heavily impacted agricultural output. Farmers nationwide have completed Kharif sowing over 350.85 lakh hectares—a significant drop of about 91.95 lakh hectares compared to the same period last year. The delayed monsoon has particularly hit soybean and cotton crops.

The Action Plan: Alternate Crops and Seed Reserves

To shield states like Jharkhand from severe crop damage, the government is rolling out immediate relief and advisory measures:

• Smart Crop Advisory: The Ministry is advising farmers to pivot to short-duration, low-water-intensive crops like maize, bajra, and moong.
• District Contingency Plans: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has prepared tailored contingency plans for at-risk districts and shared them with state governments well in advance.
• Massive Farmer Outreach: Under the ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ (Save the Field Campaign) in June, authorities organized over 1.24 lakh programs, directly educating more than 80 lakh farmers on climate-resilient agriculture.
• Emergency Seed Bank: The Centre has secured a national seed reserve of approximately 1.75 lakh quintals to guarantee adequate seed availability for re-sowing if required.

Financial Cushion for Farmers

To ensure farmers have enough liquidity during this challenging sowing window, the government has accelerated the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) campaign. Out of 1.14 lakh applications received by June 30, financial institutions have already approved more than 94,000 applications.

The Ministry expects rainfall to gain further momentum later this month, which will accelerate Kharif sowing across Jharkhand and the rest of the country.