With many industries hit by lockdown, Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) has urged the State government to defer all proposed hikes in power and water tariffs, and property tax and panchayat tax, till the situation returns to normal.
It also demanded postponement of inspection of MSMEs for six months and facilitate COVID-19 vaccination centres in all industrial estates.
In its latest memorandum submitted to the State government, KASSIA, on behalf of MSMEs, urged the government to waive fixed charges and exempt industries from payment of electricity tax/interest for six months, reduce property tax by 25%, and waive interest on KSFC loans for three months.
KASSIA president K.B. Arasappa also appealed to Minister for Industries Jagdish Shettar to permit MSMEs to operate in the State without any hindrance immediately, just like other industries.
Meanwhile, KASSIA thanked the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Disaster Management Division of the Home Ministry for acceding to its request to resume supply of oxygen for MSMEs and continuous process industries such as furnaces, refineries, steel, aluminium, copper processing plants, and exporters in manufacturing sector requiring oxygen for production and food processing units.
KASSIA office-bearers and manufacturers of liquid oxygen held a meeting with Mr. Jagdish Shettar on Tuesday, and during the meeting the State government was requested to allot 130 tonnes of oxygen to MSMEs in Karnataka including 30 tonnes to small industries operating in Bengaluru. The Minister has promised to consider the proposal subject to availability and prevailing demand-supply situation.
On long-term issues, KASSIA sought relaxation in NPA norms, permit quarterly GST payment, and give an extension of six months for statutory payments such as ESI/PF.
