Economy
Economic performance
The article `Economic performance of States in the 1990s' (Business Line, May 15) on the state-wise GDP trends should prove a morale booster for policy-makers in some States, particularly in the South. Though the data provided stops at 1998-99, it draws attention to the fact, pointed out by ACME at a CII conference of the Southern States some six years ago, that these States are poised to draw the most advantage out of the liberalisation and economic reforms. On a number of variables, their current leve ls of performance are well above the national average, namely in education, roads, ports, foreign investment, technology, communication, NCI funds, health.

PSU
MTNL workers' strike
More than 50,000 MTNL employees have given notice of a strike from May 15. Their demand is that their pensions should not be paid by the Trust the MTNL is creating for the purpose, but directly by the Government of India. Its argument is that with compet ition, the MTNL may become a losing company and therefore the Pension Trust may have no money!

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