New Delhi: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Tuesday held a high-level meeting to review preparedness measures and assess the potential impact of El Niño on agriculture and other key sectors of the economy. The meeting was chaired by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P.K. Mishra at Seva Teerth.
Secretaries and senior officials from more than 15 ministries and departments, including Agriculture, Power, Health, Rural Development, Economic Affairs, Consumer Affairs, Fertilizers, Water Resources and the India Meteorological Department (IMD), participated in the review.
The IMD informed the meeting that the onset of the southwest monsoon was delayed by around 10 days in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. However, rainfall received till July 7 helped narrow the overall monsoon deficit to 12%, with the first week of July recording above-normal rainfall.
Officials said a weak to moderate El Niño is expected during July and August, but noted that El Niño does not necessarily lead to below-normal monsoon rainfall.
The Agriculture Ministry outlined its preparedness strategy for the kharif season, including weekly review meetings with states, updated contingency plans for 262 vulnerable districts and the promotion of climate-resilient farming practices. The ministry also launched campaigns to expand coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and the Kisan Credit Card scheme.
The PMO directed ministries to maintain continuous monitoring of the situation, ensure adequate availability of essential commodities, fertilizers, fodder and drinking water, and strengthen coordination with state governments.
Authorities were also instructed to closely monitor reservoir levels, promote efficient water use and take timely corrective measures in vulnerable regions.
