A drought year as a whole is defined by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) as a year in which the overall rainfall deficiency is more than 10 percent of

Correct option is D

✅ (d) long period average value
· IMD defines a drought year when the overall monsoon rainfall is deficient by more than 10% of the Long Period Average (LPA).
· LPA is the average rainfall received over a standard 50-year period (currently 1971-2020).
· It serves as a benchmark for normal monsoon rainfall.
❌ (a) seasonal period average value
· Seasonal averages refer to specific periods (like June-Sept), but IMD’s drought criteria use LPA, not seasonal averages.
❌ (b) half year average value
· Half-year is not a recognized benchmark for drought classification by IMD.
❌ (c) short period average value
· Short period averages are not used in official IMD drought classifications.