Centre Maps 315 Districts for Contingency Plans as Monsoon Deficit Hits 43%
New Delhi: With a rainfall deficit of nearly 43% in June so far, the central government has identified 315 districts across India that require contingency measures to protect farming operations. Of these, 111 districts are classified as most vulnerable, with irrigation coverage below 25%.
In a review meeting chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday, an El Niño Monitoring Cell and a Crop Weather Watch Group were set up to track real-time preparedness and sowing operations. The ministers and officials from 12 states—Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha—participated.
The 315 districts represent nearly 40% of all districts in the country. They have been mapped based on risk of low rainfall and irrigation shortage. Besides the 111 most vulnerable districts, 76 are of medium priority (irrigation 25-50%) and 128 of low priority (better irrigation).
Chouhan urged farmers not to panic, stating that the ministry has prepared District Agriculture Contingency Plans (DACP) for each vulnerable district. These plans outline alternative crops, crop-change strategies, optimal water use, and new income options tailored to local climate, crop patterns, and water resources.
He directed states and district administrations to implement the DACP without delay. “There is no need to panic. There is a need for preparation and collective action. If the central and state governments, scientific institutions, district administrations and farmers work together, even the challenge of El Niño can be turned into an opportunity,” he said.
El Niño, a climatic phenomenon associated with weak monsoons in India, has contributed to the deficit. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier predicted ‘below normal’ rainfall for the June-September season with a 60% probability of deficiency.
