SHIMLA: The southwest monsoon on arrived in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, in its earliest onset in the past 21 years, the weather bureau said. Its normal arrival in the state is June 26.
"The southwest monsoon has reached all parts of Himachal Pradesh. Last year it had reached the state on June 24," Manmohan Singh, Director of the meteorological office, told IANS.
He said the previous earliest arrival of the monsoon in the state was on June 9, 2000.
Between June 1 and June 13, the state received 41.6 mm rain, which was 39 per cent below the aaverage.
Agriculture, the main occupation of the people in Himachal Pradesh, provides direct employment to 69 per cent people.