**Executive Summary**
On March 30, 2026, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) organized a technology transfer event in New Delhi for "Bio-Bitumen from Lignocellulosic Biomass." This initiative aims to transition from petroleum-based to bio-based materials by converting agricultural residue into sustainable road construction feedstock. The event marks the large-scale industrial adoption of this technology to support India’s Net Zero targets and "Waste to Wealth" mission.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Technology Development and Process**
* The indigenous bio-bitumen technology was jointly developed by the CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP).
* The process utilizes agricultural biomass and crop residues as feedstock through a thermochemical conversion method.
* The technology has been transitioned from laboratory-scale innovation to field-ready, industrial-scale solutions.
**Performance and Sustainability**
* Bio-bitumen offers a renewable, low-carbon alternative to conventional petroleum-based bitumen.
* Tests demonstrate performance equivalent to conventional bitumen, specifically regarding durability and compatibility.
* The technology directly addresses the environmental challenge of stubble burning and reduces the carbon footprint of infrastructure projects.
**Strategic and Economic Objectives**
* The initiative aligns with national frameworks including Atmanirbhar Bharat, the National Bio-Energy Mission, and circular economy goals.
* It aims to reduce national dependence on imported bitumen.
* The technology serves as a convergence of the agriculture, science, and infrastructure sectors through public-private partnerships.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers**
**Impact:** Provides additional income opportunities by creating value for agricultural waste. It reduces the need for stubble burning, thereby lowering local environmental pollution.
**Action Required:** Supply agricultural biomass and crop residues to be used as feedstock for bio-bitumen production.
**Industry and Private Sector Stakeholders**
**Impact:** Access to a sustainable, indigenous technology for large-scale production of road materials.
**Action Required:** Adopt the transferred technology for commercial production and implementation in infrastructure projects.
**Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)**
**Impact:** Gain a renewable alternative for road construction that meets national durability standards.
**Action Required:** Integrate bio-bitumen into national highway projects and large-scale road construction frameworks.
**Government and Policymakers**
**Impact:** Progress toward climate commitments, Net Zero targets, and reduced import expenditures.
**Action Required:** Support the continued rollout of bio-based technology and foster multi-sectoral convergence between agriculture and infrastructure.
Key Entities Referenced
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR): The primary research organization that developed and organized the technology transfer of indigenous bio-bitumen for industrial adoption.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH): The government body responsible for the large-scale implementation and adoption of bio-bitumen technology in national highway projects.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: The ministry involved in leveraging agricultural residues for infrastructure to provide additional income to farmers and mitigate stubble burning.
National Bio-Energy Mission: A flagship initiative that aligns with the adoption of bio-bitumen technology to support India’s climate commitments and circular economy.
CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI): One of the key research laboratories that jointly developed the thermochemical process to convert farm residue into bio-bitumen for sustainable roads.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
CSIR Transfers Indigenous Bio-Bitumen
Technology: Turning Farm Residue into
Sustainable Roads
Jointly developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute
and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum
The use of farm residue for high-value infrastructure
applications offers additional income opportunities for
farmers while reducing stubble burning: Shri Shivraj Singh
Chouhan
Posted On: 30 MAR 2026 3:54PM by PIB Delhi
In a significant step towards sustainable and circular infrastructure development, the Council of Scientific
and Industrial Research (CSIR) today organised a Technology Transfer Event for its innovative technology
titled “Bio-Bitumen from Lignocellulosic Biomass – From Farm Residue to Roads” for large-scale
industry adoption in New Delhi.
The event was attended by Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Union Minister of State
(Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh; Director General,
CSIR & Secretary, DSIR, Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, along with senior officials from Ministries, CSIR institutes,
industry stakeholders, and policymakers.
Speaking on this occasion, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development,
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the development of bio-bitumen technology as a “historic and
transformative step” that connects agriculture with infrastructure and innovation. Shri Shivraj SinghChouhan added that the adoption of bio-bitumen aligns strongly with India’s climate commitments, Net
Zero targets, and flagship initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, the National Bio-Energy Mission, and
circular economy frameworks. The use of farm residue for high-value infrastructure applications also
offers additional income opportunities for farmers while reducing stubble burning and environmental
pollution.
Dr. Jitendra Singh in his address highlighted that this initiative reflects India’s commitment to self-
reliance, clean energy transition, and the principle of “Waste to Wealth.” He underlined that the
technology demonstrates effective convergence of multiple sectors, including agriculture, science and
technology, and infrastructure development, supported by strong public-private partnerships. He added
that the bio-bitumen technology has demonstrated promising performance in terms of durability,
compatibility with conventional bitumen, and reduced carbon footprint, making it suitable for large-scale
implementation in national highway projects.
Dr. N. Kalaiselvi stated that the development marks a paradigm shift from petro-based to bio-based
materials and reiterated CSIR’s commitment to regular technology rollouts for national development.
The event also witnessed participation from senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers
Welfare, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), CSIR leadership, scientists, industry
stakeholders, farmers and policymakers, marking a major milestone in translating laboratory-scale
innovation into real-world, field-ready solutions for India’s road sector.
The technology transfer pertains to the bio-bitumen production process developed by CSIR–Central Road
Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and CSIR–Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP).
Developed through years of research, the bio-bitumen technology utilises agricultural biomass and crop
residues as feedstock through a thermochemical conversion process, producing a renewable and
environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum-based bitumen. The technology has demonstrated
performance equivalent to conventional bitumen while offering substantial environmental and economic
benefits, and has been developed for adoption by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
in road construction.The breakthrough enables the production of bio-bitumen from agricultural residues, offering a renewable,
low-carbon alternative to conventional bitumen and directly addressing the twin national challenges of
pollution arising from agricultural waste and increasing dependence on imported bitumen.
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