Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 9 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh is set to benefit from Norwegian expertise, best practices and advanced technologies in the processing and recycling of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste, an official statement said.

Beyond C&D waste management, the State Government is keen to collaborate with Norway and learn from its experience in key areas such as circular economy and resource recovery, sustainable tourism and waste-free destinations, climate-resilient urban development, renewable energy, green transition, digital governance and smart cities, it said.

Detailed discussions in this regard were held between Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and the Ambassador of Norway to India, May-Elin Stener, in Shimla today. The duo deliberated on various issues, including solid waste management and Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste management in Himachal Pradesh.

The Chief Minister also invited Norwegian companies to invest in the State, particularly in the tourism, green energy and geothermal sectors.

The Chief Minister said, 'Himachal Pradesh and Norway share a common commitment to protecting nature while pursuing sustainable development. I am confident that this cooperation will lead to innovative solutions that benefit not only Himachal Pradesh but also other hilly regions across the world.'

CM Sukhu further stated that Himachal Pradesh was committed to emerging as a leading Himalayan State in sustainable and environmentally responsible urban development.

'We invite Norwegian institutions, experts, and technology providers to work closely with the state government and help to develop innovative, scalable solutions that can be replicated across mountain regions,' he added.

The Chief Minister further highlighted that the state government was vigorously promoting the adoption of electric vehicles as part of its environmental conservation efforts. Himachal Pradesh has set a target of increasing its green cover from 29.5 per cent to 32 per cent, with active participation from youth and other sections of society.

He also stated that the government was encouraging chemical-free natural farming in the State and had been providing Minimum Support Price (MSP) to the farmers for maize, wheat, milk, and raw turmeric to strengthen the rural economy and promote sustainable agriculture.

Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh, Mayor Surender Chauhan, Chief Secretary K K Pant, Principal Secretary Devesh Kumar, Director, Urban Development Neeraj Chadha and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. (ANI)