Coronavirus Outbreak: Reliance Industries announces Rs 500 crore contribution to PM-CARES fund

Reliance Industries Ltd. on Monday pledged Rs 500 crore to the PM-CARES fund, in addition to the setting up of India’s first exclusive coronavirus hospital, meals to the needy, and provision of protective gear to healthworkers and caregivers. Last week, Reliance Industries had also announced a contribution of Rs 5 crore each to the governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat to support their fight against COVID-19, said a company statement. [caption id=“attachment_4226039” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] “Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) today announced a donation of Rs 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,” said the press release. The company is also continuing its multi-pronged, on-the-ground efforts, said the statement. “RIL continues its round-the-clock, 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”, the statement added. “We are confident that India will conquer the coronavirus crisis sooner rather than later. The entire Reliance Industries team is with the nation in this hour of crisis and will do everything to win this battle against COVID-19,” the statement quoted Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of RIL as saying. Follow LIVE updates on the coronavirus outbreak here “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 need of the hour is to support marginalised and daily wage communities, she said adding that “through our meal distribution programme, we aim to feed lakhs of people daily across the country.” Earlier this month, RIL had announced a number of measures to contribute to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, including continued pay to temporary workers, setting up a 100-bed  dedicated COVID-19 hospital and ramping up face-mask production. The company has also said it will provide free fuel to notified emergency response vehicles across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday thanked the Ambanis for their contribution to the fund and acknowledge the efforts of the Reliance team in the fight against the disease.

The entire Reliance team has been making effective contributions in the fight against COVID-19. Be it in healthcare or assisting people, they have been active.

I thank Mukesh & Nita Ambani Ji for contributing to PM-CARES and for their other work towards defeating Coronavirus. https://t.co/XEcmW6eNmx

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 31, 2020

(Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Firstpost)