The news could not have come at a better time... while many parts of the country is reeling under an acute heatwave, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted normal to excess rainfall this monsoon. "The rainfall as a whole from June 1 to September 30 is likely to be above normal between 104 to 110 per cent. So it's good news," IMD Director General Laxman Singh Rathore said.

The south western monsoon season in the country starts in June and ends in September and delivers nearly 70% of annual rains and waters half of India’s farmlands that lack irrigation facilities. It is also considered a crucial lifeline for the country's large agriculture sector.

Skymet, the country’s only private forecaster, has also said monsoon rains are expected to be 105% above the long-term average, with a 35% probability of above average rainfall.