Madhya Pradesh: 15 pc rain deficit, 49 pc dam storage

Madhya Pradesh is a big state in India that gets most of its rain during the monsoon season.

This year, the monsoon has brought less rain than usual: between June 1 and August 10, the state received 483 mm of rain instead of the expected 571 mm.

That is a shortfall of about 15 per cent.

Because of the lower rainfall, the water in the state's dams is also lower than normal, at about 49 per cent of their capacity.

In a normal year, dams are about 59 per cent full by this time, and last year they were 75 per cent full.

Some parts of the state got more rain than others - the east received 513.20 mm, while the west got 459.80 mm.

About half of the districts have had normal rainfall, and a few may get more rain in the coming days.

Farmers have planted paddy on 84 per cent of the planned area, so the weather and water matter a lot to them.

The state's Chief Minister, Mohan Yadav, held a meeting with officials to discuss how to help people.

He asked officials to watch water levels, set up relief camps if needed, pay farmers quickly for damaged crops, and keep supplies like seeds and fertilisers ready for the next farming season.