The state cabinet approved the Karnataka State Sandalwood Policy 2022. The government plans to introduce the policy soon. Currently, farmers must provide details on the number of saplings they intend to plant and secure permission from the department to cut the trees. Farmers are allowed to sell sandalwood logs only at the depots run by the forest department. Health ministerK Sudhakar, who briefed reporters after the meeting, said sandalwood is in high demand in both domestic and international markets.
They will insert microchips in trees to help track them even if they are stolen, the minister said. The cabinet also gave approval to construct a new campus for Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) at Archakarahalli, near Ramanagara town, at a cost of Rs 600 crore.