Himachal Pradesh has agreed to collaborate with Norway to improve processing and recycling of construction and demolition waste and other solid waste, following talks in Shimla between Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and the Ambassador of Norway to India, May-Elin Stener. The state government said it will seek Norwegian expertise and advanced technologies to develop circular economy and resource recovery solutions tailored to mountainous terrain. Officials described the discussions as focused on practical cooperation rather than theoretical study.\n\nThe partners identified sustainable tourism and waste-free destination development, climate-resilient urban development, renewable energy deployment, the green transition, digital governance and smart city applications as priority areas for collaboration. Norwegian institutions and technology providers were invited to pilot projects that demonstrate scalable approaches to waste management and resource efficiency in hill districts. The emphasis was placed on replicable models that can be adapted for other Himalayan regions.\n\nThe Chief Minister said the state is promoting electric vehicle adoption as part of a broader environmental conservation strategy and has set a target to raise green cover from 29.5 per cent to 32 per cent, with active engagement of youth and communities. He underlined encouragement for chemical-free natural farming and outlined support measures for the rural economy, including a Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme for maize, wheat, milk and raw turmeric. These measures were presented as complementary to infrastructure and technology interventions aimed at resilient, low-carbon development.\n\nAn invitation was extended to Norwegian companies to consider investment opportunities in tourism, green energy and geothermal sectors in Himachal Pradesh. The meeting was attended by the Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh, Mayor Surender Chauhan, Chief Secretary K K Pant, Principal Secretary Devesh Kumar and other senior officials. State leaders signalled an intent to pursue partnerships that yield practical solutions for mountain communities and to accelerate sustainable urbanisation.