Mumbai, June 19 (IANS) 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

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