Lucknow — In a significant step toward strengthening public health and safety, the Uttar Pradesh government is set to inaugurate three new food and drug testing laboratories in Ayodhya, Aligarh, and Saharanpur by June 2025. These labs are expected to increase the state’s annual sample testing capacity by 18,000, taking the total capacity to 54,000 samples per year.
Currently, Uttar Pradesh operates six Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) labs located in Lucknow, Varanasi, Jhansi, Agra, Meerut, and Gorakhpur, which collectively handle around 36,000 samples annually. With the upcoming additions, testing timelines are expected to shorten, and monitoring of adulteration in food and drugs will become more efficient and regionally accessible.
Full Lab Coverage by December
According to Rajesh Kumar, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration Department, all remaining nine divisional labs under construction are also expected to become operational by December 2025.
“The addition of these labs marks a major leap forward in our ability to ensure food and drug safety. Once all divisional laboratories are functional, we will have statewide coverage for rapid, reliable testing,” he said.
Major Recruitment Drive Underway
To support the growing infrastructure, the government is preparing to onboard 1,200 lab professionals. The Subordinate Services Selection Commission has already conducted exams to recruit junior analysts for food and drug testing, with results expected shortly. Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) has been approached to fill 540 Food Safety Officer positions.
Boost to Public Health and Consumer Safety
These new facilities will significantly improve the government’s capacity to:
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Detect food adulteration and substandard drug samples
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Ensure quicker turnaround for lab results
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Enforce stricter quality control across markets
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Increase field inspections and testing frequency
Officials believe this move aligns with the state’s broader vision of making public health infrastructure more robust and responsive, especially in the wake of growing concerns around food safety and counterfeit medicines.
