Strong testing infrastructure crucial for consumer protection and ease of doing biz: Pralhad Joshi
Mumbai, June 19
A robust testing and certification infrastructure is essential for protecting consumer interests, improving product reliability and facilitating ease of doing business, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Friday.
Laying the foundation stone for the expansion of testing facilities at the National Test House (NTH) campus in Mumbai, the Minister said a strong quality assurance ecosystem plays a vital role in ensuring product reliability and supporting ease of doing business.
He noted that world-class testing infrastructure is an important pillar of the government's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
"Strengthening the country's quality ecosystem is essential for improving the global competitiveness of Indian products and advancing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat," the minister mentioned.
The Minister visited the NTH Mumbai campus to mark a major milestone in the expansion of the country's quality assurance and testing infrastructure.
The programme began with a Bhoomi Pujan ceremony and the laying of the foundation stone for future expansion of testing facilities at the campus.
Joshi praised the efforts of the Department of Consumer Affairs and the National Test House in expanding advanced testing capabilities across the country and making quality testing services more accessible to industries and consumers.
He also toured the laboratories at the Mumbai facility and interacted with scientists, technical experts and officials to review ongoing modernisation initiatives and testing capabilities.
During the event, the minister inaugurated a Microbiological Testing Laboratory at the National Test House in Mumbai.
He also virtually inaugurated a Shoe Testing Facility at the National Test House's Northern Region centre in Ghaziabad and the NTH-AURIC Satellite Centre at the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation's AURIC City in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra.
The newly inaugurated facilities are expected to significantly enhance testing capacity in key sectors, strengthen compliance with national and international standards and contribute to consumer safety and industrial competitiveness.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally, some focus on consumer protection! As a buyer of local products, I often worry about quality standards. Microbiological testing lab in Mumbai is a welcome step. Hope this trickles down to smaller cities too. 😊
Atmanirbhar Bharat is incomplete without such infrastructure. We can't be self-reliant if our products don't meet international standards. The shoe testing facility in Ghaziabad is particularly good for the leather industry. 👟
Good move by the government. But I hope the testing fees are kept reasonable for MSMEs. Many small manufacturers in my area avoid quality checks due to cost. Need affordable access to these facilities.
As a homemaker, I appreciate any effort to ensure product safety. Whether it's food items or shoes, we need reliable testing. Just hope these labs are truly functional and not just for photo-ops. 🙏
Quality assurance is the backbone of exports. If we want Indian products to be trusted worldwide, such testing infrastructure is non-negotiable. The NTH expansion is a step in the right direction. However, need to see how quickly these facilities become operational.
Bhoomi Pujan and foundation stone laying feels like a common pattern. Let
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