'Back up' plan to deal with truant monsoon: FinMin

The government on Monday said it will prepare a "back up" plan to neutralise the impact of truant monsoon on agriculture and the country's economic growth.

The government on Monday said it will prepare a "back up" plan to neutralise the impact of truant monsoon on agriculture and the country's economic growth.

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Saying that delayed monsoon is a concern, Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla told PTI, "The back up plan will be required... As of today the magnitude of what is required and what is likely to be required is not very high... Not entirely known."

"This is something which will evolve as the situation becomes more and more clear," Chawla said when asked whether the government is working out a contingency plan to counter the situation.

"The Centre and state governments are trying to ensure adequate supply of power and diesel for farmers to help them exploit ground water resources to the maximum," he added.

In order to ensure adequate production of crops like paddy, pulses and oilseeds which need lot of water, Chawla said, "The states and central governments are taking steps to ensure that there is adequate power supply and the diesel is available so that the farmers can exploit maximum ground water."

As regards assessment of the monsoon situation, the Finance Secretary said, "It continues to be a problem in some parts of central India and parts of north west India."