CSIR transfers bio-bitumen technology to 10 firms; industry seeks buyback assurance

Key facts

• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) signed technology transfer agreements with 10 companies on Monday for producing bio-bitumen from crop straw.
• In January 2026 CSIR had already transferred the same technology to 14 companies, and one plant in Puducherry has started production.
• Bio-bitumen uses paddy, wheat, maize or cashew straw and yields about 165 litres of bitumen per tonne of straw, with cashew straw giving the highest output.
• The thermochemical conversion process also generates straw gas and crop nutrients in equal proportion to the bitumen produced.
• India uses around 8 million tonnes of bitumen annually, importing 50 per cent directly and producing the rest from crude oil.
• The country generates an estimated 600 million tonnes of crop residue per year, enough to replace all bitumen imports and allow exports.
• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has approved the technology for road construction, and performance is reported equivalent to conventional bitumen.
• Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated the adoption supports Net Zero targets, Atmanirbhar Bharat, National Bio-Energy Mission and circular economy goals.
• CSIR Director General N Kalaiselvi said the initiative is part of CSIR’s target to announce 1-2 innovations every month.
• Science & Technology Minister Jitendra Singh highlighted the technology’s role in self-reliance, clean energy transition and Waste-to-Wealth.