How Are Indian Companies Helping In The Country's Fight Against COVID-19?

Updated: Saturday, April 11, 2020, 15:45 [IST]

As COVID-19 cases mount and strict movement restrictions are placed across the country, Indian companies have been generously donating and devoting their resources to fight the pandemic.

How Are Indian Companies Helping In The Country's Fight Against COVID-19?

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) contributed Rs 500 crore towards PM CARES Fund and another Rs 5 crore each towards Maharashtra CM and Gujarat CM's Relief funds. This was in addition to its set up Reliance Foundation Hospital setting up a 100-bed centre at Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai in collaboration with BrihamMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for coronavirus patients.

Further, the Reliance Foundation is also providing 50 lakh free meals to people in partnership with NGOs, manufacturing 1 lakh protective face masks per day, and supplying fuel to emergency vehicles carrying Covid-19 patients.

Tata Sons and Tata Trusts made a combined contribution of Rs 1,500 crore. Tata Trusts' contribution of Rs 500 crore will be used to manufacture personal protective equipment, respiratory systems, testing kits, setting up modular treatment facilities and training of health workers.

Tata Trusts also partnered with Molbio Diagnostics, a diagnostics company, to roll out COVID-testing kits in India that can diagnose a positive result for the coronavirus strain within an hour.

The Tata Group will use its facilities to manufacture ventilators.

Wipro Group and Azim Premji Foundation said that they will collectively commit Rs 1,125 crore to battle the pandemic. Of the total Wipro pledged Rs 100 crore, Wipro Enterprises Rs 25 crore and Azim Premji Foundation pledged Rs 1,000 crore.

Maruti Suzuki has entered into an arrangement with AgVa Healthcare, an approved manufacturer of ventilators, to scale up production of ventilators that are crucial for patients infected by the coronavirus. "The intention is to reach a volume of 10,000 units per month," the company said.

Additionally, Krishna Maruti Limited would be manufacturing three-ply masks to be supplied to the Haryana government as well as the central government. Bharat Seats will be manufacturing protective clothing on receiving approval.

Apart from pledging Rs 100 crore, Hindustan Unilever Limited has said it has collaborated with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for a mass communication campaign titled '#BreakTheChain' or #VirusKiKadiTodo' to inform and empower the general public against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company will also donate 20 million pieces of Lifebuoy soaps over the next few months to the needy and will donate Rs 10 crore to upgrade the health care facilities in testing centres and hospitals.

ITC has pledged Rs 150 crore to enable "frontline warriors" in the fight against coronavirus and rural healthcare.

Godrej said that it will distribute 10 lakh units of its Mr Magic powder-to-liquid handwash in Maharashtra and cut the prices of its Protekt sanitisers to one-third.

RB Group, the maker of popular disinfectant Dettol, announced that it will distribute 1 crore units of Dettol soaps among the most vulnerable section of the society in India.

Parle is giving 30 million packets of Parle G to the needy.

Public oil joint ventures under the Ministry of Petroleum pledged Rs 1,092.29 crore.

Paytm pledged Rs 500 crore towards the PM CARES fund. Further, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, CEO and founder of Paytm, said he will not take two months' salary.

Coal India pledged Rs 220 crore towards coronavirus, while Larsen & Toubro pledged Rs 150 crore.

HDFC Group has committed Rs 150 crore to the PM CARES fund

Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group said that the Mahindra Foundation will create a fund to assist the hardest hit in our value chain (small businesses & the self-employed). "We will encourage associates to voluntarily contribute to the Fund. I will contribute 100% of my salary to it & will add more over the next few months."

He also urged Mahindra's resorts to be converted into temporary hospitals for coronavirus patients. Further, Mahindra and Mahindra also plans to use its facilities to make ventilators for coronavirus patients.

JSW Group, Bajaj Group, Vedanta, Infosys, Axis Bank, PhonePe, Torrent Group, Tik Tok, Hero Cycles and Adani Foundation have all pledged Rs 100 crore each through different ways to support the healthcare and those economically affected by the pandemic.

Infosys Foundation will help establish smart classes in 1,000 government higher primary schools in Karnataka in a Rs 20 crore project.

State Bank of India (SBI) employees contributed two days' salary amounting to Rs 100 crore and the public bank has also committed 0.25 percent of its annual profit to help fight COVID-19.

Steel Authority of India (SAIL) committed Rs 30 crore, while Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO), NLC India, Jindal Steel & Power, and TVS Group pledged Rs 25 crore each.

Kotak Mahindra Bank also donated Rs 25 crore to the PM Cares Fund and Rs 10 crore to Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Its Managing Director, Uday Kotak's personal donation has been Rs 25-crore and he has also opted to not receive his salary for the financial year 2020-21 and will be paid Re 1 only, the private bank said in a statement. Further, the group's leadership team has voluntarily opted to take a 15 percent cut in compensation.

If you wish to directly donate to the PM-CARES Fund, you can go to www.pmindia.gov.in website and donate to PM CARES Fund using: