Bengaluru, Jun 3 (KNN) Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) has thanked Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for considering its request to resume supply of oxygen for MSMEs and continuous process industries such as furnaces, refineries, steel, aluminium, copper processing plants, exporters in manufacturing sector requiring oxygen for production and food processing units.

In a statement here on Wednesday, KASSIA said that following its meeting called by the Minister for Large & Medium Industries, Jagadish S Shettar with Industries Association representatives and manufacturers of liquid oxygen, KASSIA had requested the State government to allot 130 MT of oxygen to MSMEs in the state including 30 MT to small industries operating in Bengaluru.

KASSIA President, K B Arasappa also appealed to the Minister to permit MSMEs to operate in the state without any hindrance, just like other permitted industries.

In a memorandum submitted to the state government recently, KASSIA reiterated its plea on behalf of MSMEs to waive fixed charges and exempt them from payment of electricity tax/interest for 6 months, reduce property tax by 25 per cent, waive interest on KSFC loans for 3 months, defer any and all proposed hikes in power, water, property tax, panchayat tax, till the situation returns to normalcy, postpone inspection of MSMEs for 6 months and facilitate COVID vaccination centres in all industrial estates.

KASSIA also had sought relaxation in NPA norms, permit quarterly GST payment, and give an extension of 6 months for statutory payments like ESI/PF.