Rain God smiles on Rajasthan

JAIPUR: After a few days hiatus, a good spell of rain, caused by the south-west monsoon in the state, has not only come as a blessing to the beleaguered farmers but has also reduced the water woes to a great extent as reservoirs and dams across the state have recorded steady inflow of water.
The state has been experiencing good rainfall for the past one week.The state as a whole has received an average rainfall of 433 mm as against 342 mm in the same period last year. According to the irrigation department, nine districts in the state have recorded abnormal rainfall (60% more than average) till Thursday as against two districts last year. Eleven districts have received excess rain (20% to 59% more), against just six last year. Only four districts, including Dungarpur, Banswara and Sirohi got inadequate rain.
According to the irrigation department about 32 dams in the state are overflowing or full, which will come as a big relief to the state where people have been fighting over irrigation water.
One of the biggest dam in the state the 1,157-feet Rana Pratap Sagar in Chittorgarh district is about 97.59% full and Mahi Baaj dam in Banswara have 45% capacity water. The Parwati dam in Dholpur is overflowing while Jhakham dam in Pratapgarh and Som Kamla Ambha in Dungarpur district have also received steady flow of water after good rainfall in the region.
Shatilal Mehta, vice-chancellor of Maharana Pratap University of Science and Technology, said the second spell of the monsoon rain in the state has revived the hope of a bumper kharif crops. "So far the rain has been kind and we expect a good kharif crop," said Mehta. In divisional terms, five out of the seven divisions reported more than last year's rainfall while the two divisions of Jodhpur and Udaipur reported less rainfall than last year.
Bharatpur division has received the highest rainfall of this season at an average of 682 mm, which is 50% more than last year. While Bharatpur and Sawai Madhopur districts reported 546 mm and 588 mm respectively, Karouli and Dholpur topped with 767 and 827 mm respectively. The lowest average rainfall was reported from the Jodhpur division. The average rainfall of 268 mm this year is falling short of the last year's 315 mm by this time. Sirohi, Pali and Jalore districts have been at the receiving end.
The second spell of rain in the Udaipur division propped up the rain graph there. Three districts of Rajsamand, Dungarpur and Banswara reported deficit rain while the divisional average stand below at 437 mm, which was 573 mm in the same last year.
In the Bikaner division four out of the five districts received abnormal rainfall while Bikaner district has reported excess rain. The Division has recorded an average rain of 270 mm till Thursday as against the 189 mm in the corresponding period last year. Kota division has reported the highest average rainfall of 571 mm with Kota receiving highest average of 594 mm till now. While Jhalawar, Bundi and Baran reported normal rain. Last year average has been 465 mm.
Out of the five districts in the Jaipur division, Alwar reported 576 mm rainfall till now while all the remaining districts of the division, namely, Jaipur, Dausa, Jhunjhunu and Sikar reported excess rain. The divisional average has been 491 mm of rainfall, which was just 239 mm last year.
In the Ajmer division, Tonk district has received the highest rainfall of 433 mm while the divisional average has been 377 mm which was 289 last year.