Mysuru
Large & Medium Scale Industries Minister M.B.Patil said the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), a state government subsidiary, said the KSDL is set to release a new fragrance product with the scent of jasmine, priced at ₹2.60 lakh per kilogram. Plans are underway to tap into the North Indian and international markets with this product.
He expressed confidence that the company’s turnover would reach ₹5,000 crore in the next three years. Further, MSIIL and the Hubballi-based NGEF factories will also be developed similarly.
Under the CSR initiative of the state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), safety kits including a bag, jerkin, shoes, and a water bottle were distributed on Wednesday to 2,168 forest guards, watchers, mahouts, and drivers from the Mysuru and Chamarajanagar forest circles, aiming to support them in safely carrying out their duties. The minister said that KSDL has allocated ₹2 crore from its ₹416 crore profit recorded in 2024–25 towards this CSR program.
Patil said safety kits are being provided to 10,000 personnel at the grassroots level of the forest department who play a crucial role in forest conservation. His son, Dhruva Patil, a member of the Wildlife Board, brought the hardships of these lower-tier staff to my attention, which inspired this initiative. Initially, they planned to use these funds for strengthening schools, but instead, we earmarked it for this vital program."
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, in his address, mentioned that KSDL relies on sandalwood oil for its flagship product, the sandal soap. However, due to current dependency on countries like Australia for this raw material, the government will soon implement a simplified policy to promote sandalwood cultivation within the state. He said that sandalwood will be grown in forest department plantations, and final decisions in this regard will be made after a discussion with Minister Patil in the coming week.
KSDL Chairman Nadagouda and MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah. Senior forest department officials including Subhash Malked and Kumar Pushkar were present. KSDL Managing Director Prashanth welcomed the gathering, and Dhruva Patil delivered the vote of thanks.