Natwar meets Annan and pitches for UNSC seat
New Delhi: India made a strong pitch for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council with External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh meeting UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in Delhi.

"There is an urgent need for UN reform for the world body to reflect the changing realities," said Navtej Sarna, spokesperson, MEA. "We are in touch with a large number of countries, and we are following the process of UN reforms very closely," he added.

Annan has made it clear that he wants his reform package, the restructuring of the Security Council, a new human rights agenda and defining terrorism, cleared at the next big meeting in September. India and its allies, Japan, Germany and Brazil or G4, are hoping to fast track that and are introducing a draft resolution asking for permanent seats.

The world remains divided over two rival proposals to expand the 15-member Security Council to 24. One proposal would add six permanent seats and has the G4 in favour, though China opposes Japan's bid and Pakistan that of India's. The other proposal would add eight semi-permanent seats, which is supported by Pakistan, Italy, Mexico, South Korea and several others, who hope to get it in rotation. This proposal would provide no veto powers to the new members
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Delhi govt. brings down diesel prices
New Delhi: In a major respite for lakhs of diesel consumers, the Delhi Government on Wednesday has brought down the tax on diesel from 20 per cent to 12.5 percent.

As a result of the move, in the next two days prices of diesel are likely to go down by nearly Rs2, bringing it at par with the prices in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.

VAT on sweets has also come down from a huge 12.5 per cent to just 4 per cent.
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MERC slaps surcharge on excess power consumption
Mumbai: The price of power is set to go up in Mumbai and across Maharashtra as the Mumbai Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) introduces a surcharge, calling it the 'load management charge' which shall be levied on those consuming power beyond 500 units. This will replace power cuts in Mumbai, the Commission has said.

Further, the power supply companies have been asked not to supply electricity for neon signs and floodlights between 6 pm and 10 pm.

The state is facing an acute shortage of power (3500 megawatts), and heavy power cuts have been enforced across the state, except in Mumbai and its suburbs.
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India-Japan to launch parliamentary forum
New Delhi: The India-Japan Parliamentary Forum (IJPF) is being launched under the auspices of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The forum will be launched during the visit of the Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, to India on Friday.

The IJPF will be chaired by Ashwani Kumar, lawyer and senior Rajya Sabha member of the Congress(I). Suresh Prabhu, a senior Member of the Lok Sabha, will be the Co-chairman of the forum.

While Japan is implementing structural economic reforms, India is in the process of basic economic reforms. India is now the largest partner for Japan's yen loan, and both countries support each other's candidacy for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
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Panchayat rejects Coke's plea
Palakkad: In a rebuff to Coca Cola's plan to re-open its plant at Plachimada, the Perumatty Panchayat has rejected the soft drink company's application to renew its licence.

A meeting of the Panchayat board has turned down the company's request claiming it did not furnish required documents. These included licence under the Factories Act and clearance from the state Pollution Control Board along with its application, Permatty Panchayat sources said.

A division bench of the Kerala High Court had on April 7 permitted the unit to draw up to five lakh litres of groundwater a day from the 34-acre premises of its bottling plant.

Perumatty Panchayat last week filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against the High Court order.
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