New Delhi, Jan. 5 -- Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday inaugurated a laboratory to test and calibrate equipment to monitor air pollution, one of the very few such facilities in the world.

Singh inaugurated the National Environmental Standard Laboratory at the CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (NPL) premises here, and described it as a critical step towards strengthening India's environmental governance framework.

Singh said the facility will reduce India's dependence on foreign certification agencies, save foreign exchange, shorten turnaround time for calibration, and enhance investor confidence in the country's rapidly expanding solar sector.

The minister also inaugurated the National Primary Standard Faci...