New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS): The Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), an autonomous body under the union ministry of commerce and industry, Wednesday opened a new academic block and packaging laboratory, with a view to encouraging research and innovation.

Minister of State for Commerce and Industry E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan inaugurated the new facilities at the institute's New Delhi campus.

“Government of India has made a target to increase the growth of the processed food sector from 7 percent to 20 percent by 2020. Since packaging and food processing industries are complementary to each other, it had become necessary to set up a laboratory which would support the testing of the same,” Natchiappan said.

“It is quite interesting to note that there is no exclusive laboratory for the testing of packaged foods,” the minister added.

Indian Institute of Packaging's New Delhi campus is located at Patparganj industrial area in the eastern part of the national capital. It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

IIP Director N.C. Saha said the expansion of the institute was necessiated because the growth of packaging industry has created a great demand for qualified packaging professionals.

“The Institute has also started a two year post graduate diploma in packaging at Delhi in the year 2000 with the intake of 15 students, which we will now increase to 100,” Saha said.

“This has also created requirement of infrastructural facilities and thus the Institute has also constructed an exclusive Academic Block to accommodate more number of post graduate students,” he said.