Report of the Sandalwood Development Committee Launched
Report of the Sandalwood Development Committee Launched
Report of Sandalwood Development Committee was launched in an event held on 15th October 2025 at New Delhi. The report launching event was sponsored by the Federation of Indian Plywood & Panel Industry (FIPPI). Shri Ratan P. Watal, Former Finance Secretary, Government of India chaired the launching event and apart from representatives of the concerned central government ministries/departments, Shri Rajesh Mittal, C&MD, Green Ply Industries Limited & President, FIPPI also attended this event.
The Sandalwood Development Committee was chaired by the Former Finance Secretary of the Government of India, Shri Ratan Prakash Watal. Representatives of all the concerned ministries/departments such as Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Ayush, National Medicinal Plants Board of the Government of India are members of this committee. Representatives of the Institute of Wood Science & Technology, Bengaluru and Forest College & Research Institute of the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University are also represented in this committee.
Farming of sandalwood can act as a platform for rural employment generation and significant foreign exchange generation through exports of sandalwood and its various other by-products. India can be Atmanirbhar while meeting the Sandalwood needs of our society in the present and in the future. Several measures and reforms would be required to be undertaken by the Central and State Governments to regain the past glory of Indian Sandalwood. To identify the issues and make recommendations for development of Sandalwood in the country, Shri Watal took the initiative in constituting this inter-ministerial Sandalwood Development Committee.