Mumbai: As part of strengthening of manpower in labs in Maharashtra, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given appointment orders to 34 lab personnel for its Mumbai based drug testing lab, according to a senior FDA official associated with the development.
As per the Maharashtra FDA records, Maharashtra currently has 189 sanctioned posts across its existing drug testing laboratories for Mumbai, Aurangabad and Nagpur. However, 56 of these posts remained vacant, hampering efficient functioning. In response, the government took steps to expedite recruitment. Notably, for Class 3 positions, particularly lab chemists, the government had hired Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to conduct examinations.
Maharashtra currently has three functional labs in Mumbai, Nagpur and Aurangabad. The Mumbai laboratory currently has the capacity to test approximately 4,000 drug samples annually. The Aurangabad laboratory tests approximately 2,500 annually and the Nagpur laboratory test approximately 1,000 samples annually.
The Maharashtra has also submitted a detailed proposal to the state government, seeking approval for the sanctioning of manpower for the newly constructed drug testing laboratories in Pune and Nashik.
“The Pune Divisional Office and Laboratory, along with the Nashik Divisional Office and Laboratory, have completed their civil construction work under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS). However, critical components such as partitioning, equipment procurement, lab establishment, and recruitment of trained personnel are still pending before the laboratories can become fully operational,” according to official sources.
The CSS scheme, which was initiated in 2016–17 and received fund sanctioning in 2018, aimed at strengthening the drug testing ecosystem in Maharashtra. It was operated under a financial partnership model, with 60% funding from the Central government and 40% from the state. The funding window was valid until March 31, 2025, with a total project cost of Rs. 136 crore. The scheme was focused on upgrading existing labs and establishing new ones to meet the increasing demand for drug sample testing, ensuring public safety and enhancing regulatory compliance.
“Mumbai and Aurangabad labs, today, boasts of world class testing capabilities with the procurement of high-end testing instruments. With the civil infrastructure for the Pune and Nashik labs completed, the Maharashtra FDA is now focusing on equipping the facilities and filling essential posts to commence full-scale operations. These additions are expected to significantly enhance the state’s capacity for drug quality surveillance, enabling more rigorous checks on pharmaceuticals in the interest of public health,” a senior official added.
