One-third of India’s districts face rainfall deficit halfway through monsoon: Report
New Delhi: As the monsoon season reaches its halfway point, nearly a third of the country’s districts are grappling with significant rainfall deficits, raising concerns over potential disruptions in food production, reported The New Indian Express on Monday.
Despite an overall surplus in the first half of the monsoon, with the country receiving 474.3 mm of rainfall, which is 6.4% above the normal of 445.8 mm, rainfall has been unevenly distributed. Approximately one-third (around 31%) of districts have reported deficient rainfall, particularly in key agricultural states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Assam, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
The first half of the monsoon season has seen patchy and irregular precipitation, with several states on the Himalayan foothills, stretching from Uttarakhand to the Northeast, remaining largely dry. Eastern and northeastern states have seen a 23% rainfall deficit, while the southern peninsula has witnessed reduced monsoonal activity, the report added.
State-wise analysis reveals that Uttar Pradesh has been the hardest hit, with 34 districts reporting deficient to significantly deficient rainfall, followed by Bihar and Assam, each with 27 districts facing similar conditions. Tamil Nadu has 22 districts affected, while Andhra Pradesh has 15, and Telangana 12. The states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh are particularly crucial for food grain production, and any deficits here could have significant implications for the country’s agricultural output.
Currently, 24% of the country’s 728 districts have recorded a deficient rainfall (20-59% below the long-term average), with 7% of districts facing large deficits (60-99% below average). Although July saw above-normal rainfall, this year’s monsoon patterns indicate a consistent decline in rainfall levels, particularly in key agricultural zones.
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Three arrested for running fake Aadhaar racket in UP's Badaun
Budaun (UP), Apr 30 (PTI): The Budaun Police on Thursday busted a gang allegedly involved in preparing fake Aadhaar cards and forged documents, and arrested three of its members, officials said.
The action was carried out in the Hazratpur area, where the accused were found operating an illegal setup to generate fake identity documents, they said.
The accused have been identified as Farman Ali, a resident of Munshi Nagla, Anuj Kumar of Uprela, and Brajnandan of Sirsauli.
The police said a fingerprint scanner, three laptops, a hard disk, a scanner, a large number of Aadhaar cards and several suspicious documents were recovered from their possession.
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During interrogation, it was revealed that the gang had been involved in preparing fake identity documents for a long time, misleading people and earning money through illegal means, officials said.
Station House Officer Pushpendra Singh said the accused have been produced before a court, and efforts are underway to identify and arrest other members of the gang.
He added that further revelations are likely as the investigation progresses.
