Pune, Aug 24 (IANS): Amid the rainfall deficit which has adversely hit agricultural output across India, the government on Monday pitched for conceiving new ways of irrigation.

"There is a need for new ways of irrigation practices, keeping in view the pressure on water resources and reviving some traditional water conservation practices, if they prove beneficial," said Amita Prasad, joint secretary in the water resources ministry, at the first training programme on "Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna" for all India Services officers here on Monday.

On August 17, the weather department had said monsoon rainfall deficit has widened to 10 percent across the country which has threatened agricultural production.

The agriculture ministry in its fourth advance estimates for 2014-15 said foodgrain production was projected to decline by 4.66 percent to 252.68 million tonnes in 2014-15.

Inaugurating the training programme, D.K. Jain, additional chief secretary for agriculture in the Maharashtra government, spoke on crop change and judicious use of scarce water resources.

The training programme is the first of six to be organised here till August 28. It will be followed by similar programmes in Bhubaneswar from September 7-11, Hyderabad (September 14-18), Dehradun (September 21-25), Meghalaya (October 13-17) and New Delhi (October 13-17).