Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday reviewed the impact of below-normal monsoon rainfall in parts of the country amid concerns over El Nino and directed all concerned ministries to remain on alert, coordinate closely with state governments and ensure timely measures to minimise any adverse impact on agriculture and water resources.
Chairing a high-level meeting along with Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Shah said the Centre is continuously monitoring the monsoon situation and the possibility of drought-like conditions in certain regions. He directed the Ministry of Agriculture to advise farmers on suitable crops based on prevailing conditions and asked the Ministry of Jal Shakti to closely monitor water availability in all reservoirs, water bodies and groundwater sources across the country.
Stressing the need for water conservation, Shah called for greater emphasis on low water-consuming crops such as fodder, millets and pulses. He also instructed the Ministry of Power to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply.
During the meeting, officials informed the Home Minister that the country has adequate stocks of essential food grains, including rice and wheat, while prices of essential commodities remain stable. Senior officials from multiple ministries, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Central Water Commission, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and the National Remote Sensing Centre attended the meeting.
Shah also directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to immediately depute an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to assess the damage caused by recent heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides. The team will conduct on-the-spot assessments to evaluate damage to infrastructure, agriculture and human habitations, as Assam continues to battle flooding in several districts while Arunachal Pradesh has witnessed landslides and road blockages in its hilly regions.
