Announcing the decision at a press conference in Mantralaya this afternoon, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said: ``All these cases will be withdrawn with immediate effect without bias for any political party. More such cases will be withdrawn in the coming weeks after scrutiny, strictly on merit. The State Government feels that such cases were pending without any reason.''

These cases are from 14 districts and involve the Marathwada University renaming agitation, the demonstration at Ramabai Ambedkarnagar, Ghatkopar, the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation and others. ``Cases related to labour movements, students' movements, inflation, black market, environment, farmers and other social problems will be withdrawn on a priority basis. However, in agitations where there have been deaths, the cases will not be withdrawn,''Joshi said.

The Chief Minister also announced waiving interest on loans borrowed by 3,148 bidi workers to construct houses in Solapur district. The decision will cost the exchequer around 3.5 crore rupees. But, said Joshi, the offer is subject to a condition that the workers will have to pay the capital amount in one installment within six months and give an undertaking to the government within a month. ``If they fail to do so, the government will forcefully recover the money from them,'' Joshi added.

Joshi said that legal action has already been initiated against the industrialists who refused to pay the minimum wages and house rent allowance to the workers as fixed by the state government. ``The industrialists will have to obey the government's orders or will have to face action,'' the CM warned.

The CM announced that the relatives of the 15 martyrs who lost their lives in the Maharashtra-Karantaka border dispute will be paid 1,500 rupees every month as honourarium.

The decision to implementthis long-pending demand was unanimously taken by the State Cabinet today. ``Apart from money, the relatives will be provided with other facilities. The government will have a recurring expenditure of 5.40 lakh rupees for this cause. The money will be provided to the relatives from the day they applied for the same,'' announced the Chief Minister.

When asked about his promise to solve the Maharashtra-Karanataka border dispute before August 15, 1998, Joshi said he was working hard to find a solution. ``I personally called on the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and he has assured me of having separate talks with me and the Karnataka Chief Minister on this issue,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the high-level committee formed by the State Government to solve the problem, will meet on September 28 to find out a practical solution to the problem. ``Legally, Maharashtra has a good position in the case,'' Joshi said. The committee comprises the Chief Minister, senior Congress leader Sharad Pawar, Madhu Dandavate, N DPatil and Ram Kapse.