Below normal rainfall this year is threatening the paddy crop in most parts of the state in the Kharif season. Chief minister Aditya Nath Yogi met on Saturday authorities of the energy and irrigation departments and directed them to ensure optimum power supply and to arrange for the necessary level of water to flow into paddy fields. CM informed that Agra, Hathras, Amethi, Ghaziabad and Bulandshar districts received highly deficient rains, less than 15% , while in the entire Bundelkhand region comprising Jhansi, Lalitpur and 16 other districts, rains were below 40%. 20 other districts of the region have also received deficient rains. In 48 districts comprising more than 50% of the state’s geographical area, rain was deficient this year and if the dry and humid spell continues for the remaining days of September, there may be a crisis for farmers, as majority of them are depending on rains for their paddy crop.