The monsoon fell below expectations in July, which ended with a countrywide rain shortfall of 6%, but late showers in the paddy belts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal have improved the overall rainfall distribution. With the monsoon becoming inactive in central and south India, the all-India rainfall deficit grew in the past six days (July 25) from 2% to 6%. However, during the same period, the rain shortfall reduced sharply from 42% to 19% in UP, 46% to 23% in Bihar and 35% to 24% in Jharkhand. Large rain deficits in these states, and West Bengal, have been the main reason for sluggish kharif sowing this year.According to the latest figures released last Friday, paddy sowing was nearly 12% less than the normal for the corresponding period. This was mainly on account of depressed sowing in these four states, where the area under paddy was nearly 27 lakh hectares below the normal for the same period.