**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implemented the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Strengthening of States’ Drug Regulatory System (SSDRS) to enhance the drug regulatory system in India. This initiative involves upgrading existing state laboratories, establishing new drug testing facilities, and improving state drug control offices. As of February 13, 2026, funds totaling Rs. 756 Crore have been released to States/UTs, leading to the construction of 19 new drug testing labs and the up-gradation of 28 existing labs.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Centrally Sponsored Scheme Strengthening of States’ Drug Regulatory System (SSDRS):**
* Aims to strengthen the drug regulatory system in the country.
* Includes upgrading existing State laboratories.
* Involves setting up new drug testing laboratories.
* Includes the up-gradation of existing State drug control offices.
* **Funding:**
* Rs. 756 Crore has been released to States/UTs as part of the Central Share under the SSDRS Scheme.
* **Infrastructure Development:**
* 19 new drug testing labs have been constructed.
* 28 existing labs have been up-graded in various States/UTs.
* **Manpower:**
* Number of sanctioned posts and filling of vacant posts in State Drug testing laboratories comes under the purview of respective State Governments.
* Centrally, there are 276 sanctioned posts in CDSCO laboratories, with 178 filled and 98 vacant.
* Recruitment/filling up of posts in laboratories is an ongoing process.
* **Drug Sample Analysis:**
* Data provided on drug samples tested, declared Not of Standard Quality/spurious/adulterated, and related prosecutions for the years 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25.
* **State/UT-wise Distribution of Laboratories:**
* Lists the number of State Drug Testing Labs for each State/UT.
* Lists the number of laboratories under the administrative control of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments/UTs**
* **Impact:** States are provided with funding and resources to upgrade their drug testing infrastructure and control offices, enabling better monitoring and regulation of pharmaceuticals within their jurisdiction.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the allocated funds effectively, oversee the construction and up-gradation of laboratories, address manpower vacancies, and ensure rigorous drug sample analysis and regulatory enforcement.
**Ministry of Health and Family Welfare**
* **Impact:** Accountable for overseeing the implementation of the SSDRS, ensuring the effective use of funds, and achieving the goal of strengthening the drug regulatory system in the country.
* **Action Required:** Monitor progress of States/UTs in upgrading and establishing new drug testing laboratories, address any challenges in implementation, and ensure continuous improvement in drug regulation to safeguard India's reputation as the "pharmacy of the world."
**Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)**
* **Impact:** Accountable for filling sanctioned posts.
* **Action Required:** Continue the ongoing process of recruitment/filling up of posts in laboratories.
Key Entities Referenced
Strengthening of States' Drug Regulatory System (SSDRS): A Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to upgrade State laboratories, establish new drug testing facilities, and improve drug control offices across states/UTs.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The central government ministry responsible for implementing the SSDRS scheme and overseeing the drug regulatory system in India.
States/UTs: The regions where drug testing labs are established and upgraded under the SSDRS scheme. The specific regions are essential for determining the scope of the policy's impact.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2504
TO BE ANSWERED ON13THFEBRUARY, 2026
SETTING UPOFNEW DRUG TESTING LABORATORIES
2504.SHRIMOHIBBULLAH:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government has announced the setting up of new drug testing laboratories
and strengthening of regulatory manpower in view of increasing global scrutiny of India’s
pharmaceutical exportsandif so, the detailsthereof;
(b) the detailsof existing Central and Statedrug testing laboratoriesalong with theircapacity,
manpower strength andvacancies, State-wise;
(c) whether it is a fact that a significant number of drug samples tested in recent years were
found tobe of sub-standard quality, spurious or adulteratedandif so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to upgrade infrastructure, ensure
permanent staffing and strengthen oversight under schemes such as the Strengthening of
States’ Drug Regulatory System (SSDRS) to safeguard India’s reputation as the “pharmacy
of the world”?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SMT.ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a)to(d): For strengthening the drug regulatory system in the country, Ministry of
Health andFamily Welfare has implemented a Centrally SponsoredScheme Strengthening of
States’ Drug Regulatory System (SSDRS). The scheme envisages upgrading existing State
laboratories, setting up of new drug testing laboratories and upgradation of existing State
drug control offices in the country. Under the SSDRS Scheme, funds totalling Rs. 756 Crore
has been released to States/UTs as part of the Central Share and 19 New Drug Testing Labs
have beenconstructed and28existing labshave beenup-gradedinvariousStates/UTs.
Detailsof State/UTwise list of Drug testing laboratoriesisprovidedat Annexure.
The number of sanctioned posts and filling of the vacant posts in State Drug testing
laboratories comes under the purview of respective State Governments. Such information is
not maintained centrally. There are a total of 276 sanctioned posts out of which 178 are filled
and98 vacant inCDSCO laboratories. Recruitment/filling upof the posts inlaboratoriesisan
ongoingprocess.As per information received from States/UTs Drugs Controllers, the number of drug
samples tested during last three years by various States/U.Ts and status regarding number of
drug samples declaredNot of Standard Quality/spurious/ adulteratedasunder:
Financial Numberof Numberof Numberof Numberofprosecutionfor
Year drugs drugs drugssamples manufacturing,saleand
samples samples declared distributionof
tested declared Spurious/ spurious/adulterateddrugs
Notof Adulterated
Standard
Quality
2022-23 96,713 3,053 424 663
2023-24 1,06,150 2,988 282 604
2024-25 1,16,323 3,104 245 961
*******Annexure referredtoinreplytoparts (a)to(d) of LokSabhaunstarred Question No. 2504for
replyon 12.02.2026.
Annexure
State/UT-wise list of thenumberof StateDrugTesting Laboratories
Sl.No. Name of theState/UT Numberof StateDrugTesting Labs*
1. Andhra Pradesh 4
2. Assam 1
3. Arunachal Pradesh 1
4. Andaman& Nicobar 0
5. Bihar 1
6. Chhattisgarh 1
7. Delhi 1
8. Dadra NH , Daman& Diu 1
9. Goa 1
10. Gujarat 3
11. Haryana 2
12. HimachalPradesh 2
13. Jharkhand 1
14. Jammu & Kashmir 3
15. Kerala 7
16. Karnataka 3
17. Ladakh 1
18. Maharashtra 5
19. Madhya Pradesh 4
20. Manipur 1
21. Meghalaya 1
22. Mizoram 1
23. Nagaland 1
24. Odisha 2
25. Puducherry 1
26. Punjab 1
27. Rajasthan 4
28. Sikkim 1
29. Tamil Nadu 2
30. Tripura 1
31. Telangana 1
32. Uttar Pradesh 733. Uttarakhand 1
34. West Bengal 1
*These labs are under the administrative control of concerned State Governments and
includes only those labs which are funded under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme
“Strengthening of States’ Drug Regulatory System”, based on proposals submitted by the
States/UTs.
State/UT wise list of laboratories under the administrative control of Central Drugs
StandardControl Organization:
Sr. No. States/UTs Numberof DrugTesting Lab
1 Chandigarh 1
2. HimachalPradesh 1
3. West Bengal 1
4. Telangana 2
5. Tamil Nadu 1
6. Assam 1
7. Maharashtra 3
8. Madhya Pradesh 1
9. Odisha 1
10. Delhi 1
11. Gujarat 1
12. Karnataka 1
********