BENGALURU: In its attempt to take some burden off Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), the Karnataka government on Wednesday waived monthly fixed electricity charges for two months. It also announced that payment of fixed charges in the electricity bills of the large industries would be deferred without penalty and interest for a period of two months. As part of the State government’s Rs 1,610 crore ‘COVID-19 economic relief package’, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa also announced incentives and rebate for timely payment of electricity charges to consumers of all categories, including industries.

“MSMEs too have suffered huge production losses due to lockdown. It will take some time for them to revive. Hence, the government has decided to help them. The monthly ‘fixed charges’ of electricity bills for MSMEs will be waived for two months,” said Yediyurappa.