A very good rainfall year 2013

A very good rainfall year 2013 with 1175mm (147%) ends in Gujarat. South Gujarat may have little showers over isolated places but the season ends now. It is one of the 4th highest rainfall year in last 30 years: (1193mm in 1983, 1245mm in 1994, 1225mm in 2007). 32 of 33 districts and 210 of 225 talukas crossed 100% of their average rainfall. 20 Districts and 125 Talukas have received rains above 1000mm.

Umarpada of Surat become Cherapunji of Gujarat this year with 3397 mm rainfall. Valsad received the highest 2870 mm rainfall.  Kutch received the lowest (628mm) but it is 166% of its average. 

Zonewise: South Gujarat (1990 mm, 146%), East Central Gujarat (1115 mm, 140%), North Gujarat (978 mm, 147%), Saurastra (990 mm, 153%) and Kutch (628 mm, 166%). It has rained in all 5 months: June 199mm, July 403mm, August 194mm, September 319mm, October 60mm. 

Barring heavy rainfall and flooding during 22-28 September, the season has given balance rain with 83 rainy days. It is one of the longest season starting from 2nd June 2013. The team work of the administration was one of the best examples of disaster management and mitigating risks with effective communication and utilising local resources optimally.

Out of 203 water storage dams, 140 dams are full. Now the State has water storage of 19725 mcm (91%) against the storage capacity of 21188 mcm. The check dams and village tanks-ponds add another approx 5000 mcm water storage. Some of you may be knowing the Water Distribution Wonder of Gujarat, the Narmada Drinking Water Supply Grid of Gujarat (3 times the circumference of the Earth) provide drinking water to 7800 and 131 cities-towns of Surastra and Kutch. नमािम देवि नमॅदे। No more water trains require for Rajkot.

It is harvesting season and Thanks giving to the God now. Sowing in 89 lac hectors of land (+3 lac above average) will fill up pockets of farmers with encasing bumper crops of groundnut (16.60 LH) cotton (26.91 LH), paddy(8 LH), pulses (5LH), other cereals (7 LH), other oil seeds (8 LH), Guvar (5 LH), etc. The good monsoon has created a base for another bumper Ravi Season in 40 lac hectors of land. Gujarat will have bumper cumin seed (jira), mustard seed (rai), gram and wheat cultivation.

Many many thank goes to Cyclone Philine (Sapphire) for taking away moisture over the State of Gujarat and saving crops of millions of rupee. Gujarat agriculture growth rate and share of agriculture in GDP will at its boom. 

Gujarat is now on a very strong foothold, nourished by many, the members of "Team Gujarat", dreaming for better quality of life of the people with better position in HDI. 

पैसा तो है, बस खाना ज़रूरी है।

Some may like to refer to my monsoon 2013 forecast based on astrology dated 7/4/2013.

शुभम भवतुकल्याणम ।

Punamchand