The World Bank will give Himachal Pradesh a $200 million loan to enable it become the country's first carbon neutral state by 2020, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said here on Thursday.
"The World Bank has agreed in principal to extend a loan of $200 million (Rs1,000 crore) to the state for undertaking carbon smart growth," Dhumal, who holds environment portfolio, said.
He said a meeting of the state and central governments and World Bank officials is likely to be held soon to finalise the modalities for the loan.
The loan will enable sustainable management of natural resources and heritage with a focus on forests, wildlife, wetlands, livestock, mining, fisheries, waste disposal and architecture.
The state last year signed a pact with the World Bank for generating carbon credits of Rs 20 crore for 20 years from "bio-carbon projects" in 10 districts.
The Rs 365-crore Himachal Pradesh Mid-Himalayan Watershed Project is the first project in India registered for carbon credits.