While the ministry of agriculture is keeping its fingers crossed on the monsoon, Union minister Sharad Pawar is said to be concerned over the water table conditions in Karnataka and Maharashtra in the event that the rainfall was less than expected. The agriculture ministry is ready with an action plan for more than 400 districts in the event of a less than average monsoon in 2012.
The ministry of agriculture is awaiting the fresh report of the meteorological department on the progress of the monsoon to assess the impact on the sowing season.
“Most of the international agencies have stated that there would be less than average monsoon this year. However, we also know that most of their predictions were wrong on earlier occasions. Still, we are ready with action plan for more than 400 districts, which will be activated if the monsoon were to disappoint us,” said a senior official in the ministry of agriculture. However, Union minister of agriculture, sources said, is particularly concerned over the depleted water table conditions in Maharashtra and Karnatka. “Last year, the water reservoirs were 20 per cent surplus due to good rains. But if the monsoon happens to be below average than there could be adverse impact in Maharashtra, particularly Vidarbha region, and north Karnatka,” added the official. However, the ministry is also drawing consolation from the fact that most of the international agencies have predicted normal rains in the Central India region, which would cover the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
***
Row over AI flight diversion
Age Correspondent
New Delhi, June 9
A controversy has erupted on whether Air India has cancelled some of its Boeing 747 jumbo jet commercial flights to Saudi capital Riyadh on account of diversion of these aircraft for VVIP movement. The controversy was triggered on Saturday following reports in a section of the electronic media, but Air India spokespersons were unavailable for comment.
The ageing Boeing 747 jumbo jet aircraft are being deployed to operate flights from Indian cities, especially cities in Kerala, to Saudi cities Riyadh and Jeddah. Air India has very few of these aircraft. But whenever the Prime Minister, President or vice-president are scheduled to travel abroad, two of the jumbo jets are designated for the VVIP travel. While one aircraft is used, the other is kept on standby.
Sources said that new Boeing 777s were also being deployed on commercial flights to Riyadh but that because of the Air India pilot strike, the airline was now relying only on operations of the ageing Boeing 747s to Saudi Arabia.
The jumbo jets are ideal for this sector due to the large Indian population that works in Saudi Arabia.