NABL-accredited testing centre KMTRC gets new building

The new building of Karnataka Material Testing and Research Centre (KMTRC) in Hubballi will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi on Saturday.

KMTCR is the sole NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited testing centre in the entire North Karnataka, which is assisted by both the State and the Union governments.

Addressing presspersons along with other office-bearers in Hubballi on Thursday, KMTRC president M.K. Patil and vice-president Ninganna Biradar, however, said that they are in need of additional funds for further expansion of the centre and procurement of additional advanced machinery.

Mr. Patil said that ₹4 crore was sanctioned for the building by the then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai following continuous efforts of Mr. Pralhad Joshi and the former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar. Of that amount, ₹2 crore was released, which was utilised for construction of the new building, he said.

Mr. Biradar said that KMTRC has submitted the utilisation certificate and sought the release of the remaining ₹2 crore for the development of the centre.

“However, we are in need of an additional ₹3 crore for further expansion and procurement of machinery. So, we will be placing our demand for ₹5 crore, including the already sanctioned ₹2 crore. We will also be requesting the Union Minister to get funds sanctioned to the centre from the Central government,” Mr. Biradar said.

President of the building committee Jayaprakash Tenginakai said that the centre was earlier run from a temporary premises and now, it has a permanent building of its own thanks to the funds sanctioned.

KMTRC office-bearers Mallesh Jadar, Nagaraj R. Divate and Narendra Kulkarni elaborated on the facilities at the centre and how it has benefitted the industrialists in the region in getting their products tested and also in manufacture of export quality products.

They said that before KMTRC came into existence, industrialists were being forced to send material and products to testing centres in Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru.

Along with Mr. Joshi, Ministers M.B. Patil, Sharanabasappa Darshanapur and Santosh Lad and MLA Mahesh Tenginakai are expected to participate in the event.