New Delhi: In what comes as good news for the Indian economy and in particular agriculture presently going through a turbulent period against the backdrop of surge in Covid-19 cases, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said the southwest monsoon, which brings about 70 percent of the nation’s annual rainfall, will be normal this year.


Union Ministry of Earth Sciences Secretary M. Rajeevan, who released the first Long Range Forecast for the four-month rainfall period from June to September, said the monsoon will be 98 percent of the Long Period Average (LPA) “which is normal rainfall”.


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Speaking at a virtual press conference, he said the LPA will be 98 percent with an error margin of plus and minus five percent.


He said it is really good news for India, adding this will help the country “have a good agriculture output”.


The Ministry of Earth Sciences Secretary said the rainfall in Odisha, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Assam is likely to be below normal but normal or above normal in the rest of the country, news agency PTI reported.


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He added the IMD will also issue forecasts month-wise during the next four months.


Rajeevan further said “there are less chances of formation of an El Nino”.