PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Senior Minister for Irrigation and Social Welfare Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao said that Provincial Government worked to increase the yield of the crops by inclusion of land which was out from the water flow. The Minister was addressing inaugural ceremony of Daudzai Civil Canal Project. The project named Kata Jandariyat and Kata Nasapa is the only source of irrigating the area from Kabul River which will irrigate 5,000 acre land. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of members of Itihad Zamindaran Daudzai, Arbab Hashim Babar, Amjad Mohmand, Haji Shafi Khan and officers of the Irrigation Department were also present. Sherpao on the occasion said that such other Katas would also be taken in the government control for which a comprehensions scheme would be included in the next ADP. He said that the project will benefit thousands of families and Rs 8.79 million would be spent to make it on ground. The provincial minister was informed that water to facilitate the project would be arranged from Warsak Dam that will provide irrigation water to 120 villages from Shah Alam to Naguman and Daudzai upper. He directed the officers of Irrigation Department to construct flood protection walls in different areas and said weather conditions should be kept in mind while constructing Katas. Arbab Jamil in his address on the occasion highlighted the achievements and services rendered by Sherpao family. He also lauded the services of Sikandar Sherpao for the uplift of the area and assured him full support of the people of the area. Three days training to highlight fruit processing and preservation held at PCSIR: A three days training to highlight the subject of fruit processing and preservation by Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Laboratories Complex, Peshawar regarding the Swat to impart information to local community of Swat region. The aforesaid activity was materialized in collaboration with Pakistan Army while the technical expertise, processing and training material/equipment were provided by PCSIR Labs, Peshawar. Dr Shahzad Alam, Chairman PCSIR showed his full commitment for the exploitation and improvement of the natural resources of Swat valley through provision of technical expertise. Brigade Commander Mingora Swat, Brig. Zafar Iqbal pointed out post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables of this region and urged for its control and value addition by provision of technical assistance in this regard. Chairman PCSIR assured his cooperation to industrialists in SWAT and stated that PCSIR would provide support to impart skilled-training to these industrialists. In compliance to the directives of the Chairman PCSIR, the Director General PLC Engr. Bashir Ahmad constituted and deputed a team of Experts for conducting a three days training at Swat. Members from the Local Community also participated in the training in a very large numbers. Initially processing and preservation of Apple, Citrus, Tomato and other vegetables were demonstrated from which different daily food items were developed. Fruit processing and preservation techniques were followed by practical demonstration of preparing apple jam and apple chips by trainer of PCSIR. Col. Khurram Zeeshan, in his address, thanked Director General PCSIR Peshawar and his team for organizing such a fruitful training workshop for the local community of Swat region. He appreciated the sizable participation of local community in the workshop and also lauded the products prepared during this training. He vowed that such type of activity should be continued in future as well. In his concluding remarks, Engr Bashir Ahmad DG PCSIR stated that the initiative of organizing workshop will help in exploiting the resources of the Swat region which will prove a gateway for its socioeconomic uplift. He also urged upon the trainees to utilize the expertise gained during the training up to the maximum extent in the days to come.