The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector has expressed disappointment over their non-inclusion in the relief packages announced by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Wednesday.
In a release, trade body KASSIA has said that the sector, an important segment of manufacturing and employment generation, “has been totally neglected by the government without announcing any packages/relief.” “The huge disruption caused by the pandemic has resulted in broken supply chains, displacement of labour, dried up cash flows and an all round sense of hopelessness,” said KASSIA president K.B. Arasappa in the release.
He has said that their requests — for waiver of fixed charges in the power bill payments for three months, reduction in tax imposed on petrol and diesel up to March, 2022, working capital at 4% to MSMEs, for not enhancing water tariff and property tax up to March, 2022 — have not been considered. Due to the previous lockdown, 20% of the units have already closed down and once again in the 14-day lockdown, there is every chance of closure of 20-30% units, the release said, demanding that the State step in and save the industries from collapse.
