though the India Meteorological Department (imd) could not predict the erratic mid-course behaviour of the southwest monsoon this year, it might actually benefit from this failure! The imd's inability to foresee a shortfall of rains in July, the month of sowing of kharif crops, has prompted Union minister of state for science and technology, Kapil Sibal, to seek more funds to improve monsoon forecasting. Against the 98 per cent rainfall predicted by the imd in July 2004, India as a whole received only 81 per cent rains of the long period average.

The minister has sought a "one-time' investment of Rs 500 crore