Why it is in the news
On 24 September 2026, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh formally launched, at the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in New Delhi, the commercial use of bio-based biodegradable plastic made of polylactic acid (PLA) under the BioE3 framework. The initiative is led by Balrampur Chini Mills Limited (BCML), which has received a ₹75 crore grant from BIRAC for a 100 TPA pilot-scale R&D facility for PLA and co-polymers at Kumbhi, Uttar Pradesh.
The exam angle
Thesis: Bioplastics can decarbonise and localise materials only if industrial policy, feedstock policy and waste infrastructure move together; a pilot grant is a necessary but not sufficient condition.