Covid-19: Ambanis Commit INR 500 Cr to PM-CARES Fund, will Provide 50 Lakh Free Meals

Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Industries (RIL) has topped up its earlier contributions towards combating coronavirus pandemic with another INR 500 crore. India's richest man has made the contribution to PM-CARES Fund, which was set up last week to accept donation from people willing to support the government's fight against the pandemic.

"Reliance Industries Ltd. today announced a donation of INR 500 crore to PM CARES Fund in response to the call by the Prime Minister to support the nation's fight against the Coronavirus onslaught," the official statement read.

Apart from the contribution to the PM Cares Fund, it will donate INR 5 crore each to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The company has also stepped up its production capacities to produce one lakh masks per day and thousands of personal protective equipment (PPEs), such as suits and garments, for health-workers.

In collaboration with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), RIL has set up a 100-bed exclusive COVID-19 hospital in just two weeks. The beds are reported to be equipped with required infrastructure and bio medical equipment, such as ventilators, pacemakers, dialysis machine and patient monitoring devices needed for treating infected patients.

"As the nation comes together to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, all of us at Reliance Foundation stand in solidarity with our countrymen and women, especially those on the frontlines to whom we pledge our full support. Our doctors and staff have helped set up India's first Covid-19 Hospital and are committed to supporting the government in exhaustive screening, testing, prevention, and treatment of Covid-19," said Nita Ambani, Founder Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm.

Reliance foundation will provide 50 lakh free meals in the next 10 days across the nation and scale up rapidly to more meals and to cover newer areas. "The need of the hour is also for us to support our marginalized and daily wage communities. Through our meal distribution programme, we aim to feed lakhs of people daily across the country," Nita Ambani stated.

In another initiative, RIL has also committed free fuel across the country to notified emergency response vehicles.

"RIL continues its 24x7, multi-pronged, on-the-ground effort to do its bit to ensure the nation remains prepared, fed, supplied, safe, connected and motivated to fight and win against the unprecedented challenges brought upon by the Coronavirus pandemic. RIL has already deployed the strengths of the Reliance Family on this action plan against COVID-19. RIL and its motivated team have stepped up in the cities and villages, on roads and lanes, clinics and hospitals, grocery and retail stores, and it has pressed additional capabilities into the service of the nation," said the statement.

The largest Indian conglomerate is expected to contribute further with appropriate financial assistance from time to time, as per the statement.

Last week Tata Sons and Tata Trusts had collaboratively pledged INR 1,500 crore to fight Covid-19.