DROUGHT MANAGEMENT
OVERVIEW
Department of Agriculture & Cooperation is mandated to coordinate relief
measures necessitated by drought, hailstorm, pest attacks and cold wave/frost. Spatial
distribution and quantum of rainfall during South-West Monsoon (June - September)
mainly determines the incidence of drought in the country, as it accounts for more than
75% of annual rainfall. The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation closely monitors
progress of South-West Monsoon in the country, in close coordination with India
Meteorological Department (IMD) and keeps watch over deficit rainfall conditions.
The Department has reviewed and updated the Crisis Management Plan (CMP)
for Drought 2012 (National) during the current year. It defines roles and responsibilities
of various agencies involved in crisis management including media management
during drought. After review and updation, the CMP for Drought (National) for the
year, 2013 is being circulated to State Governments/UTs for preparing their own CMPs.
State Governments initiate necessary relief measures in the wake of natural
calamities including drought from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) which is
readily available. Contribution to SDRF is made by Central and State Governments in
the ratio 3:1 for 17 General Category States and 9:1 for 11 Special Category States
(North-Eastern States including Sikkim and 3 hill States of Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir). Government of India supplements the efforts of
the State Government by providing requisite financial and logistic support. Additional
financial assistance, over and above SDRF is also provided from National Disaster
Response Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of severe nature as per established
procedure and extant norms. Allocation under SDRF has been made on the basis of
recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission for a period of 5 years from 2010-11
to 2014-15. Assistance approved to States from NDRF to mitigate Drought situation is at
Annexure-A.
Impact of Monsoon on Indian agriculture and economy
Weather and climate variability including temporal and spatial distribution of
rainfall during June to September, are important determinants ofagricultural
performance in the country during the kharif season (June-September).SW monsoon
sets in over southern Kerala around June 1 and it usually covers entire country by the
middle of July.
Around half of India's farm output comes from crops planted during Kharif
season. Farmers sow paddy with the onset of monsoon in the eastern, central, north
eastern and parts of south India. Paddy crop in these areas is heavily dependent on
rains for irrigation. Besides paddy, coarse cereals (jowar, bajra etc.), maize, pulses,
oilseeds and cotton are major crops in western and central Indian States like Rajasthan,
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh etc. which also depend heavily on monsoon
rains.
India is largely self-sufficient in major food grains such as rice, but deficient
monsoon or drought can significantly put stress on domestic production of rice (paddy)
mostly (more than 80%) grown during Kharif season and is largely dependent on
monsoon rains .
India also remains a net importer of pulses and cooking oils. Thus any changes in
domestic output due to deficient monsoon can alter quantum of imports and outgo
from foreign exchange reserves. A good monsoon also helps India, world's second
biggest producer of cotton, to easily meet growing domestic demands. In 2009, a
drought year, India had to import sugar, sending global prices to record highs and
pushing up inflation.
Monsoon rains are also crucial for replenishing storage dams and reservoirs and
raising ground-water levels thus allowing better irrigation potential for enhanced rabi
production. Higher rainfall also helps reducing demand for subsidised diesel, which is
used to pump water from wells for irrigation.
Besides directly influencing crop production and enriching natural resources,
monsoon rains are vital for economic growth in India. A good monsoon will yield
higher farm output that would rein in food prices and help the government manage
inflation. Besides, agriculture sector contributes to about 14 percent of India's nearly
$1.85 trillion economy (2010-11). Strong farm output results in higher farmers’ income,
boosts rural consumption including consumer durable goods etc. thereby improving
overall economic outlook.
MANAGEMENT OF DROUGHT
Drought when it occurs is a long drawn out natural phenomena. The onset is
slow and the course is protracted. Management of drought and relief operations will,
therefore, need to be continued in many States till the stabilization of South-West
Monsoon, 2013.
With a firm commitment of the Central Government at the highest level to render
all necessary assistance to the States, the Department is confident of enabling the State
Governments to tide over the crisis.
***
ANNEXURE-A
Assistance from NCCF/NDRF for Drought
S. No.
State
Drought of 2002-03
1
Andhra Pradesh
2.
Chhattisgarh
3.
Gujarat
4.
Haryana
5.
Himachal Pradesh
6.
Jammu & Kashmir
7.
Jharkhand
8.
Karnataka
9.
Kerala
10
Madhya Pradesh
11.
Maharashtra
12.
Orissa
13.
Punjab
14.
Rajasthan
15.
Tamil Nadu
16.
Uttar Pradesh
17.
Uttarakhand
TOTAL
Drought of 2003-04
1.
Andhra Pradesh
2.
Karnataka
3.
Kerala
4.
Maharashtra
5.
Tamil Nadu
TOTAL
Drought of 2004-05
1.
Andhra Pradesh
2.
Bihar
3.
Chhattisgarh
4.
Jharkhand
5.
Karnataka
6.
Madhya Pradesh
7.
Maharashtra
8.
Punjab
9.
Rajasthan
10.
Tamil Nadu
Assistance sought
(Rs. in crores)
Assistance approved
1866.00
880.66
895.34
1895.98
155.86
1623.98
1467.25
1562.85
1047.08
819.62
1730.61
871.40
3529.44
7519.76
1545.76
7539.79
401.81
35353.19
399.04
154.62
150.29
109.65
65.12
-42.06
283.09
-201.88
66.50
181.76
125.41
989.86
486.74
481.10
10.62
3747.74
942.99
2878.00
1359.03
3310.93
2283.73
10774.68
226.27
417.49
106.00
354.29
292.95
1397.00
1199.68
2342.57
604.96
928.12
1147.72
725.69
1117.99
4582.93
3318.01
1910.58
185.73
162.15
93.44
139.82
83.67
36.30
174.66
-488.98
156.84
11.
Uttar Pradesh
TOTAL
S. No.
State
Drought of 2005-06
1.
Himachal Pradesh
2.
Jharkhand
3.
Madhya Pradesh
4.
Rajasthan
5.
Uttarakhand
TOTAL
Drought of 2006-07
1.
Andhra Pradesh
2.
Karnataka
TOTAL
Drought of 2007-08
1.
Madhya Pradesh
2.
Uttarakhand
TOTAL
Drought of 2008-09
1.
Karnataka
2.
Uttarakhand
TOTAL
Drought of 2009-10
1.
Andhra Pradesh
2.
Assam
3.
Bihar
4.
Himachal Pradesh
5.
Jammu & Kashmir
6.
Jharkhand
7.
Karnataka
8.
Kerala
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra
Manipur
Nagaland
Orissa
Rajasthan
Uttar Pradesh
TOTAL
7226.10
25104.35
Assistance sought
360.94
1882.53
(Rs. in crores)
Assistance approved
377.00
869.70
657.80
1544.63
287.80
3736.93
39.02
107.37
97.56
146.50
38.99
429.44
287.81
1262.95
1550.76
76.27
78.96
155.23
1883.81
220.04
2103.85
42.09
27.78
69.87
2043.07
200.14
2243.21
83.83
57.51
141.34
10106.77
792.60
23071.13
608.13
211.82
890.31
394.92
Drought+ Hailstorm 168.22
575.30
89.94
1163.64
88.93
156.77
200.955
116.49
33.02
(32.90-drought, 0.12 –
hailstorm)
246.31
671.88
14.57
21.12
151.92
1034.84
515.05
5080.375
11669.68
15059.64
22.09
74.76
2266.65
14927.37
12133.42
92397.51
S. No.
State
Drought of 2010-11
1.
Bihar
2.
Jharkhand
3.
Odisha
4.
West Bengal
TOTAL
Drought of 2011-12
1.
Andhra Pradesh
2.
Karnataka
3
Maharashtra
TOTAL
Drought of 2012-13
1.
Maharashtra
2
Karnataka
TOTAL
Assistance sought
(Rs. in crores)
Assistance approved
6573.45
2871.00
1576.80
1100.00
12121.25
1459.54
855.30
376.55
724.99
3416.38
3006.41
Kharif 2605.99
Rabi 3609.35
Rabi (2011-12) 1073.15
706.15
186.68
282.35
574.71
1749.89
Khairf-3232.15
Kharif-7672.40
778.09
526.06
1304.15