NEW DELHI: India is likely to receive more rainfall than usual this monsoon season, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.Updating its forecast, IMD said the country will get 106% of the long-period average (LPA) rainfall during the June to September season. This is a small increase from its earlier estimate of 105%, but still falls under the “above normal” category.The LPA of the season rainfall over the country as a whole for the period 1971-2020 is 87 cm.The IMD also shared details of how rain will be spread across regions. Central and peninsular India are expected to receive above normal rainfall, while northwest India is likely to get normal rainfall. However, northeast India may see below normal rainfall this season.Furthermore, the department also predicted above normal rainfall for the monsoon core zone, regions where agriculture heavily depends on seasonal rains. This is seen as a good sign for overall farming activities.Officials said the forecast brings a positive outlook for crop sowing and rural livelihoods. The monsoon delivers nearly 70% of India’s annual rainfall and is crucial for the country’s agriculture, which still relies largely on rain-fed farming.
