Former India cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla donates MLA salary, BCCI pension to West Bengal government to fight coronavirus outbreak

New Delhi: Former India cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who is currently the sports minister of West Bengal, has donated his three months’ MLA salary along with BCCI pension for the same period to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the state. As of now, 735 have tested positive in India with Bengal recording 10 such cases along with one death. The national death toll has touched 17 in the deadly outbreak, which has killed more than 24,000 globally. [caption id=“attachment_8197031” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Laxmi Ratan Shukla. Image: Twitter/@ LShukla6[/caption] “It is the need of the hour that we all contribute to the best of our abilities. I have already donated three months of my MLA salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Also, I get pension from BCCI. I have donated three months of my BCCI pension,” Shukla told PTI on Friday. Shukla, played three ODIs for India in 1999 before ankle injury cut short his career. A respected all-rounder in domestic cricket, he represented Bengal and East Zone in over 100 first-class matches and has also been a part of IPL-winning Kolkata Knight Riders team. Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak