The shortfall in the kharif paddy coverage has reduced following grain in the past two weeks. The Agriculture commissioner Mr N B Singh says that the area under coarse, cereals and pulses is higher than the last year but there is shortfall in the acreage of sugarcane and oilseeds. Mr Singh said though no final estimate has been made of the shortfall in the paddy during this kharif, the agriculture ministry is gearing up for the coming rabi sowing. The government has already sent teams comprising agricultural experts and administrators to the drought -hit states to prepare a strategy to increase productivity during coming Rabi season.These include supply of better seeds and fertiliser, exploring ways to bring non-cultivable land under farming and effective implementation of central schemes aimed at boosting agricultrue in the country. The teams have been asked to submit their reports to the centre by the 15th of November. Our correspondent adds that the monsoon rain is still 21 per cent deficit despite the southwest monsoon active in the last two weeks. According to the Meterological Department the monsoon is likely to start withdrawing from West Rajasthan in about four to five days.