Explanation:

Rain-dependent areas can be broadly split into two: ‘dry lands’, which receive less than 750 mm of rain a year; and rainfed areas, which receive more than 750 mm. Comprising arid and semi-arid ecosystems, dry lands stretch from Gujarat in the west till Eastern Madhya Pradesh; and from Rajasthan till the southern tip of India.

Most of India's (coarse) cereals (91%), pulses (91%), oilseeds (80%) and cotton (65%) are produced in rainfed areas. Small areas of almost all rainfed crops are scattered in most of the districts, except for a few crops such as soybeans and linseed that have specific agro-climatic requirements.

Sesamum (Til) is a rainfed crop and requires 45-50 cm rainfall. It thrives well in areas having 21o-23oC temperature. Frost, prolonged drought and heavy rains for a longer duration are harmful to this crop. Well-drained light loamy soils are best suited to sesamum. It is cultivated in plains as well as on elevations upto 1,300 metres. It is grown as a kharif crop in the north and as a rabi crop in the south.

Groundnut is the most important oilseed of India. Groundnut is grown both as kharif and Rabi crop but 90-95% of the total area is devoted to kharif crop. It is a rainfed crop.

Jowar(sorghum), Bajra (Pearl millet/Bull Rush millet) Ragi (Finger millet/Buck wheat) are the important millets grown in India These are coarse grain crops and are used for both food and fodder. These are Kharif crops though sometimes grown in rabi seasons too. These crops are grown where the temperature is high which ranges between 270C to 320C. As millets are ‘dry land crop’, therefore, rainfall ranging from 50 to 100 cm is ideal for their cultivation. These crops are rain-fed.

Further Reading:

http://mospi.nic.in/sites/default/files/cocsso/1_NITI_Aayog_RevitaliseRainfedAgriculture.pdf