India’s Bioeconomy and Green Transition: Towards Inclusive and Sustainable Growth

India’s Bioeconomy and Green Transition: Towards Inclusive and Sustainable Growth

India’s bioeconomy has grown 16 times in the last decade (2014–2024), reaching $165.7 billion and contributing 4.25% of GDP.
Despite this growth, rural–urban disparities persist in green technology adoption, renewable energy access, and sustainable livelihoods.
These challenges highlight the need for a landscape-driven green economy model that balances economic growth, social inclusion, and ecological sustainability.

A green economy fosters sustainable development while reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.

Key Features:

Low Carbon: Promotes renewable energy, e-mobility, and energy efficiency.
Resource Efficiency: Encourages recycling, waste-to-energy, circular economy, and sustainable agriculture.
Inclusive Growth: Integrates women, rural communities, and MSMEs into green value chains.
Ecosystem Restoration: Protects biodiversity, soil health, water resources, and forests.
Technology-Driven: Uses AI, IoT, and digital platforms for monitoring, smart grids, and carbon markets.

Importance:

Climate Resilience: Reduces vulnerability to extreme weather events and ensures food–water security.
Employment Generation: Expected 35 million green jobs by 2030.
Energy Security: Lowers dependence on fossil fuels, supporting Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Global Competitiveness: Helps India tackle carbon border taxes and expand sustainable exports.
Social Equity: Bridges the rural–urban divide through clean energy, sustainable farming, and women’s participation.

Constitutional & Policy Framework:

Article 21 & 48A: Right to life and State’s duty to protect environment.
Panchayati Raj Institutions (Article 243G): Empowered for local planning and natural resource management.
Policies & Missions: National Bio-Energy Mission, BioE3 Policy (2024), National Action Plan on Climate Change, Bharat 6G Vision, MGNREGA green initiatives.

Rapid Bioeconomy Growth: 4.25% of GDP, led by biofuels, bioplastics, and pharmaceuticals.
Renewables & Ethanol Push: Achieved 20% ethanol blending; 250% growth in renewable capacity (2015–2021).
Employment Potential: 35 million green jobs by 2030; women hold only 11% of rooftop solar jobs.
Rural–Urban Divide: Urban centres attract EVs, green jobs, and green infrastructure, rural areas lag.
Regional Disparities: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana dominate; eastern and tribal-rich states underrepresented.

Disparities in Access:

Urban areas receive majority of green investments; rural areas lag in irrigation efficiency, renewable adoption, clean tech.
Example: North-eastern states contribute <6% to bioeconomy despite resource richness.

Energy Transition Dilemmas:

Push for renewables alongside fossil fuel subsidies (up to 40%) undermines net gains.
Solar pumps may incentivise groundwater over-extraction.

Industrial Pressure:

Hard-to-abate sectors (steel, cement, power) contribute 23% of GHG emissions.
Green technology costs >4x traditional options.

Socio-Economic Risks:

Rapid transition may displace coal workers, MSMEs, small manufacturers.
Agriculture-dependent households (58% of rural livelihoods) remain climate-vulnerable.

Gender & Social Gaps:

Women in technical green roles: 1–3%.
Tribal and marginal communities often remain beneficiaries rather than climate leaders.

Policy Fragmentation:

Lack of inter-ministerial integration and weak enforcement reduce policy effectiveness.

Integrated Planning:

Treat landscapes as systems of land, water, biodiversity, energy, and markets.
Conduct participatory assessments from village to macro level for ecosystem valuation.

Institutional Anchoring:

Leverage 2.5 lakh PRIs and 12 million women-led SHGs for design, monitoring, and ownership.

Circular & Local Economies:

Promote tribal-led bioeconomy models using non-timber forest produce and agri-waste reuse.

Gender Mainstreaming:

Provide targeted training, leadership roles, incentives for women in solar, biofuels, waste-to-energy sectors.

Green Infrastructure & Innovation:

Implement green budgeting, fiscal incentives, sustainable public procurement.
Expand 100+ 5G/6G labs to green digital infrastructure.

Waste & Resource Management:

Urban areas generate 75% of solid waste; rural areas struggle with unsegregated bio + plastic waste.
Need SOPs, decentralized financing, and circular waste economy.

India’s green transition must move beyond urban-industrial focus towards a landscape-driven, community-based model.
Integrating local resources, women’s leadership, tribal bioeconomy, and technology will enhance climate resilience and social equity.
By 2047, India should aim for ecological regeneration, inclusive growth, and global climate leadership, not merely GDP expansion.

Share the Post: