  During 2015, the southwest monsoon (SWM) rainfall over the country remained
deficient with seasonal rainfall of about 86% of the long period average (Table
1.1). Last year, the seasonal rainfall deficiency over the country as a whole
was 12% (www.imd.gov.in). Thus, this is a fourth episode of two consecutive
years, with deficient monsoon, similar to 1904-05, 1965-66 and 1986-87
(www.imd.gov.in).
