New Delhi, April 18 -- India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted an above normal monsoon this year. That should be music to the ears of the policy makers. Mint looks at the importance of a good monsoon and how it will solve some challenges the Indian economy is facing now.

Are we in for another year of good rain?

It appears so. Earlier this week, IMD, India's national meteorological service provider, has forecasted that the Southwest monsoon this year would be above normal. The rainfall, it added, would be around 105% of the LPA - long period average (1971-2020) which is 87cm. Last week, Skymet, a private weather forecaster predicted a normal monsoon at 103% of long period average. Even factoring in a margin error of 5%, Indi...