Bengaluru: Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) has thanked 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, 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 Minister for Large and Medium Industries, Jagadish 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 and the Minister has assured to consider the proposal subject to availability and prevailing demand-supply situation.

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 and interest for 6 months, reduce property tax by 25 percent, waive interest on KSFC loans for three 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 six months and facilitate Covid vaccination centres in all industrial estates.

On long-term and central issues, KASSIA sought relaxation in NPA norms, permit quarterly GST payment and give an extension of 6 months for statutory payments like ESI and PF.