Federal Govt upgrades PCSIR Complex to promote scientific, industrial research

0
93

The Federal Government has upgraded Pakistan Council for Scentfic and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Laboratories Complex, Peshawar equipping it with all necessary infrastructure in terms of quality control, equipment and analytical instruments besides completed its Medicinal Botanical Garden to help universities’ students and strengthen the exports base of Pakistan.
Jahingar Shah, Director Planning and Research, PCSIR Laboratories, Peshawar told APP that PCSIR laboratory Complex Peshawar has been upgraded under a Public Sector Development Project (PSDP) of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Islamabad to promote scientific and industrial research in KP .
The designing and landscaping of Medicinal Botanic Gardens (MBG) on 3.5 acres land has been completed where 4,000 trees including shrub and herbs plants were planted besides 35 varieties of different fruits plants for analytical research purposes.
Besides others food and non food products, he said 70 kilograms sunflowers were produced besides collection and drying of 20 medicinal plants by the PCSIR scientists.
He said 11 medicinal plants’ nurseries were raised and linkages among Government departments, NGOs, academia and industries were enhanced.
Keeping in view of an enormous benefits of Medicinal Botanical Garden, he said a comprehensive plan has been devoloped to include additional four acres land in it to strengthen research programme besides helping universities’ students and academia in completion of their research studies.
The official said a proposal has been submitted to Government for setting up of Medicinal Botanic Garden for commercial and environmental productivity under Phase-1 that would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs60 million.
He said 50 new species of plants would be acclimatise including Zafran, Pineapple to increase its production.
To achieve these objectives, he said an Advisory Committee would be formed for assistance in planning, implementation, commercialization, marketing and training of manpower and exports oriented products.
Jehangir Shah said upgradation of calibration capabilities amounting to Rs35 million was in progress and equipment purchased. He said previous accredited scope of 76 parameters in 2019-20 had been increased to 108 parameters and there was a potential to further enhance it to 60 parameters in 2021 under the current PSDP.
Research facilities in pharmacology, phytochemicals standardization, herbal analysis, microbiology, plant tissue culture and botany at MBC was enhanced and this centre was now upgraded to Herble Medicine PCSIR Laboratory, Peshawar.
He said approved cost of current PSDP program was Rs 110.893 million for which Rs 30 million allocated in 2019-20 and Rs90.223 million for 2020-21 for which Rs81 million were so far released.
Halal Authentication Laboratory at PCSIR Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi are being upgraded with an approved cost of Rs722.69 million that would provide a complete range of testing facilities for importers and exporters, verify and authenticate doubtful ingredients of local and imported items besides maximise opportunities for cottage industry as an exporter to halal market.
The processing of medicinal and industrial cannabis on experimental fields besides testing services and product devolopment facilities are being strengthened and devolopment scheme would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs1896.82 million on 60 kanal land.
He said a large number of formulated products were being imported at exorbitant rates, resulting in the expenditure of costly foreign exchange by textile, leather, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, household chemicals, food and consumer products industries in form of plastic parts, perfumes, flavors, chemical and non-chemical products, adding most of these items are imported under brand names.
He said expertise and technical manpower available in PCSIR have been able to decode and analyses over 2,000 of local and foreign made products and helped local SME’s in the development of import-substituted materials.
“PCSIR is fully capable of undertaking large number of tests of the raw materials and industrial products and can provide physical, chemical, chromatographic and spectroscopic analytical services to clients.”
At present, he said the national laboratories is serving over 4000 SMEs and clients all over the country annually in quality control, analytical and testing area besides provision of quality control services to exporters especially in textile, leather, food, sports and surgical goods and products
He said different Government departments including Pakistan Customs, Excise, Police, Administration, Health and NGO’s were availing the analytical testing and advisory services of the national laboratories in resolving disputes, fake and genuine products categorization investigative matters, narcotics, screening of medicines for steroids.
Jehangir Shah said PCSIR was upgrading its database of scientific and industrial research to provide timely and quick services to its clients besides help policy makers in preparation of strategies and action plans in future.
He said the laboratories were also providing analytical services to check quality of national and international pharmaceutical companies’ products besides mineral water and provides reports to clients.