NEW DELHI: With the overall rainfall continuing to be below normal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday reviewed the crop situation and directed officials to be ready for any contingency.

Dr. Singh met with senior officials of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Agriculture Ministry, just before leaving for a five-day visit to France and Egypt.

The Udupi district recorded an average rainfall of 27.40 mm for the last 24 hrs.

Udupi received a minimum of 9.20 mm, Kundapur 10.80 mm and Karkala received highest of 62.40 mm rainfall in the district.

The district suffered an estimated loss of Rs 2.67 lakh in the last 24 hrs. a total number of 17 houses were damaged in the district.

With the deficient monsoon bringing to the forefront concerns about inadequate foodgrain production, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday constituted an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) to work on the modalities of the proposed National Food Security Act (NFSA).

With deficient rainfall in many parts of the country raising the spectre of a dip in agricultural production, a concerned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday took stock of the monsoon situation and instructed officials to be ready with contingency measures to meet any eventuality.

Everything depends on rains in the next seven days, says India Meteorological Department

A presentation on the progress of monsoon by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has made the government confident this year will be a good crop year, but everything depends on rains in the next seven days.

Farm ministry irked at IMD (which is under earth sciences ministry) making rain data public, as it has to do ground work to minimise the adverse impact of poor monsoon
Our Political Bureau NEW DELHI

Vinson Kurian
Thiruvananthapuram, July 12 The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that the monsoon trough across the plains of northwest India has shifted north (of normal), which signals a weakening of rain-enabling conditions.

Karnataka Bureau

Bangalore: Incessant rain in coastal Malnad, south interior Karnataka and Belgaum over the past six days has claimed 12 lives, and the weather bureau has indicated that there will be no respite from the monsoon fury in these regions for the next two days.

P. Sunderarajan

NEW DELHI: Five weeks into the season, the monsoon situation in the country continues to be precarious. Large parts continue to be in deficit, despite the vigorous rainfall activity over several areas over the past week.

Some major rivers in the state were flowing close to their danger level mark as heavy rains lashed several places in coastal and Malnad districts since Wednesday night.