The Meteorological department has predicted a normal monsoon for the third consecutive year, bringing relief to millions of farmers who depend on good rains for a bumper harvest. Earth Sciences Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh announced this at a press conference in New Delhi yesterday.

He said, there was 47 per cent probability of a normal monsoon as against 24 per cent of below normal rains this season. Mr. Deshmukh said, quantitatively, monsoon season rainfall is likely to be 99 per cent of the long period average, LPA, with a model error of five per cent.

Shailesh Nayak, Secretary Earth Sciences said that there was an initial scare of El Nino conditions but as of now they are neutral.