According to official estimates, scanty rain had adversely affected about 5.3 million hectares of paddy area, where sowing could not carried out properly because of inadequate water availability.

Until Monday, Uttar Pradesh had received only about 128 cm of rainfall since June 1, as against the expected normal rainfall of about 307 cm.

In the drought-hit districts it was even worse as the recorded rainfall was barely 60 cm.