Crop residue waste converted to bio-bitumen through indigenously developed bio-bitumen technology can save around Rs 40,000 cr import annually for India: Dr Jitendra Singh

• Bio-bitumen is a renewable binder produced by pyrolysis of agricultural crop residue (notably paddy/rice straw, wheat straw) into bio-oil, which is then blended with conventional bitumen for road construction.
• Technology indigenously developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun.
• Triple-dividend topic — tackles stubble burning / air pollution, bitumen import dependence, and Atmanirbhar Bharat in infrastructure inputs; savings claim Rs 40,000 crore/year in imports.