Dr. Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, announced that the Haryana Government has approved ₹53.21 crore to significantly upgrade food and drug safety infrastructure in the National Capital Region (NCR).
She stated that the initiative aims to make food testing services faster, more scientific and easily accessible to the public. The plan includes deploying 28 Mobile Food Testing Laboratory (MFTL) vans to enhance on-the-spot testing and modernizing the District Food Laboratory in Karnal to strengthen regulatory oversight and quality control.
Karnal and Chandigarh Labs Get Major Upgrades
The District Food Testing Laboratory at Karnal has been comprehensively renovated with ₹90.29 lakh from the State Budget and an additional ₹50 lakh grant from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). To enhance testing capacity, 47 advanced laboratory equipment items worth ₹4.63 crore are being procured through Haryana Medical Services Corporation Limited, with the tender process nearing completion.
Additionally, a dedicated Microbiology Section has been established at the Karnal lab at a cost of ₹3.96 crore with FSSAI funding.
Dr. Sumita Misra further stated that a new Microbiology Lab in Chandigarh, funded by the National Capital Region Planning Board, New Delhi, at a cost of ₹4.44 crore, is about 80 percent complete and is expected to be operational by March 2026. Renovation of the Chandigarh Food Lab has also been completed under a ₹10.45 crore Central-State shared grant, and three high-end machines have been installed.
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Currently, Haryana operates two notified food testing laboratories in Chandigarh and Karnal, both NABL-accredited and recognized by FSSAI under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Recognizing the state’s high consumption of milk and dairy products, as well as its reputation as a sports hub, the government plans to establish eight modern food testing laboratories in phases across Haryana.
Clean Street Food Hubs in Four Cities
To promote hygienic street food culture, four cities — Ambala, Karnal, Hisar and Gurugram — have been selected for Clean Street Food Hubs. In Ambala, a 60-shop hub is under development at Gandhi Ground, Ambala Cantt, and is expected to be completed by February 2026. Hisar has completed around 60 percent of its project and aims to finish it within the current financial year. In Karnal, land near the Western Yamuna Canal at Vishwakarma Chowk has been finalized, with completion targeted for 2026–27. The Gurugram project is currently at the tender stage.
Five MFTL vans provided by FSSAI are already operational across districts, offering on-the-spot testing at a nominal ₹20 per sample. The addition of 28 new vans in NCR areas will significantly improve outreach and public access to food testing services.
Strong Enforcement by State Drugs Laboratory : Sumita Misra
Highlighting enforcement efforts during 2025, Dr. Sumita Misra said that between January 1 and December 31, 5,063 drug samples were received and 6,266 analysed, demonstrating improved efficiency. Authorities inspected 14,910 drug sale units, suspended 764 licences and cancelled 80 licences either fully or partially. Out of 3,417 samples collected and 4,916 tested, only 11 were found sub-standard.
The department also conducted 315 joint raids and inspected 593 manufacturing units. Five manufacturing or blood centre licences were suspended, while 52 new manufacturing licences for drugs, medical devices and cosmetics were granted. Seven units were upgraded to WHO-GMP standards, strengthening compliance in the pharmaceutical sector.
During the year, 56 prosecutions were initiated. Of 15 court cases decided, eight resulted in convictions. Additionally, 33 cases of drug overpricing were detected, and permissions for 68 products were suspended for failing to meet corrective and preventive action norms.
Dr. Sumita Misra emphasized that the combined approach of laboratory modernization, mobile testing expansion, strict enforcement and infrastructure development reflects Haryana’s strong commitment to safeguarding public health and enhancing consumer trust. She stated that advanced testing facilities and firm regulatory oversight will ensure safe food and quality medicines reach every household in the state.