The water level of India’s reservoirs remained unchanged at 18 percent for the third week on September 19, as the monsoon rainfall surplus shrunk further below 7 percent for the first time in 19 days, data released by the India Meteorological Department and the Central Water Commission shows.
The water level of reservoirs in the north slipped further, even as situation in eastern region improved. Several parts of north and east India haven't got enough rain this season.
Data released on September 19 showed that the water capacity of reservoir levels in Punjab was 62 percent below normal, while Telangana had a 53 percent surplus.
Manipur has the highest rainfall deficit among states at 31 percent followed by neighbouring Nagaland at 30 percent and Arunachal Pradesh at 28 percent.
Among the larger states, Punjab and Bihar have a 26 percent rainfall deficit each.
According to data from agriculture ministry data, kharif sowing expanded to 109.7 million hectares as of September 17, which is 0.1 percent above the five-year average and 2.2 percent more than previous year.
Paddy sowing was 2.1 percent higher but pulses were 6.1 percent lower. Oilseeds and coarse cereals acreage was also higher than normal, which bodes well for inflation control.
Among cash crops, sowing of jute and cotton was down more than 10 percent from the five-year average.
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