India's Aviation and Highway Sectors to Boost Usage of Bio-Fuels

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced in Rajya Sabha that India's aviation industry will use 20% bio-aviation fuel within five years, and the highway ministry will incorporate bio-bitumen in road construction, reducing dependency on imports and benefiting farmers.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that within the next five years, India's aviation industry will incorporate 20 percent of bio-aviation fuel. 'Within five years, our aviation industry will use 20 percent of bio-aviation fuel, sustainable aviation fuel, and that is to be sourced from parali (stubble). Farmers will receive Rs 2500 per ton for it,' Gadkari stated during a Rajya Sabha session.

Gadkari also highlighted that the highway ministry is now using bio-bitumen for road construction, aiding in the reduction of Bitumen imports. Bio-bitumen, derived from renewable sources like crop stubble, is utilized as a binder for paved roads. 'We have the largest road network in the world. Ninety percent of roads use a Bitumen layer, and Bitumen consumption for 2023-24 was 88 lakh tons, expected to be 100 lakh tons for 2024-25. We import 50 percent of our Bitumen, costing Rs 25,000 to 30,000 crore annually,' Gadkari added.

The minister noted that the Central Road Research Institute in New Delhi, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Petroleum in Dehradun, has developed bio-bitumen from stubble, making farmers 'Urja Daata' (Energy Providers). 'Farmers are now not only Anna Daata (Food Providers) but also Urja Daata and Bitumen Daata. They are now Hawa Irdhan Daata (Air Fuel Providers),' he said.

Gadkari further informed that a test section was laid on the Shamli-Muzaffarnagar Section of NH-709AD in November 2022 to monitor the performance of bio-bitumen for three years. The NHAI is also planning a trial on the Jorabat-Shillong section of NH-40. The anticipated benefits of bio-bitumen include reduced import costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and revenue generation opportunities for farmers and MSMEs.

(With inputs from agencies.)