The monsoon shortfall fits the India Meteorological Department’s definition of an all-India drought year

As things stand, with three days left in August, the monsoon shortfall fits the India Meteorological Department’s definition of an all-India drought year. The overall monsoon deficit on Thursday was 18 per cent while 13 of the 36 meteorological subdivisions in the country — roughly 36 per cent of the subdivisions — faced moderate to severe drought.