Bhubaneswar: Odisha has received 26.3 per cent deficit rainfall during this monsoon as 21 of the state's 30 districts recorded less than the normal precipitation till July 19, state Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marandi told the Assembly Saturday.
Speaker S N Patro had on Friday asked the minister to give a statement in the House after opposition Congress and ruling BJD members expressed concern over possible drought situation arising out of scanty rainfall in the state.
The minister said only nine districts - Koraput, Khurda, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Cuttack, Jharsuguda, Puri, Malkangiri and Bargarh received normal rainfall, while the rest 21 got less than normal precipitation.
Of the 314 blocks in the state, only 108 blocks received normal rainfall while it was deficit in the remaining 206 blocks. "As many as 24 blocks have recorded deficit rainfall by 59 per cent," he said.
Stating that the government has been keeping a track of the situation, Marandi said "Arrival of monsoon this year was also delayed. This year it hit Odisha coast on June 21 instead of reaching the state during second week of the month."
In view of the scanty rainfall, the government has released water in canals for meeting the requirements of irrigation. "We will take action as per the provision of the crop contingency plan if there is no rainfall in coming days, he added.