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Recently, the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has inaugurated two facilities at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. 

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The Ministry has inaugurated the following two facilities:

• Advanced Facility for Pashmina Certification
• Next Generation DNA Sequencing Facility 

These new facilities are built on the foundation laid last year when the Pashmina Certification Centre (PCC) was inaugurated and the first unique ID barcode and certificate were issued.

Advanced Facility for Pashmina Certification 

• The upgraded Advanced Facility for Pashmina Certification now includes a dedicated Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), which enhances the precision and reliability of wool testing and certification.
• It will improve the accuracy and reliability of wool testing and certification, further ensuring the authenticity of Pashmina products.
• Since its inception, the PCC has certified over 15,000 shawls, preventing the mixing of other fibers and facilitating smooth trade in national and international markets.

Next Generation DNA Sequencing Facility 

• It is a revolutionary technology that enables the rapid and high-throughput decoding of entire genomes, analyzing millions of DNA sequences simultaneously. 
• This facility allows researchers to gain deeper insights into genetic diversity, evolutionary relationships, and population health.
• It positions the Wildlife Institute of India as a leading centre for molecular and genetic research in wildlife conservation, enabling advanced studies in areas such as biodiversity genomics, population genetics, and disease surveillance.

About Pashmina Wool

It is a type of fine, high-quality wool that comes from the Changthangi or Pashmina goat. The word "pashmina" comes from the Persian word "pashm," meaning "soft wool."

In 2008, the Kashmiri Pashmina got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

• A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.