NEW DELHI, June 25: The Union Agriculture Minister, Chaturanan Mishra, today said he had written to the Prime Minister, I K Gujral and the Finance Ministry on the likely fallout of the El Nino phenomenon on the foodgrain output in the country and said an amount ranging between Rs 400 to Rs 500 crore could be required to meet the situation.

Addressing a press conference here, Mishra said the government did not want to lag behind in this scenario and said work such as digging of tube wells and other related steps would have to be taken early in case the El Nino factor starts showing its adverse effects on the current monsoon in the country.

When told that indications pointed to a normal monsoon this year, Mishra said the monsoons had only begun and it would be too early to say that El Nino has not caused any harm on the monsoon prospects. Scientists have warned that the warming of Pacific Ocean waters due to El Nino currents may affect monsoon levels in the country.

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