L&T announces Rs 150 cr donation to PM-CARES Fund to fight COVID-19
New Delhi: Engineering and construction giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Monday announced Rs 150 crore donation to the PM-CARES Fund to fight the coronavirus outbreak and said it has set aside over Rs 500 crore per month to support about 1.60 lakh contract workers.
L&T joins a list of other corporates including Tata Group and Reliance Industries who have come forward to offer their support to fight this unprecedented crisis.
The company said it has set aside an outlay of over Rs 500 crore per month to support about 1.60 lakh contract workers by continuing to pay their wages during the ongoing lockdown and providing them with food and basic amenities at labour camps, while maintaining the COVID-19 prevention and containment protocol.
"Responding to the call given by Prime Minister of India, the company will donate Rs 150 crore to the PM-CARES Fund," the company said in a statement.
The diversified conglomerate said it is committed to participate in corporate India's response to COVID-19 through funds, community welfare plans and through leveraging its expertise to offer assistance.
"We are helping India's fight against COVID-19 by way of immediate funding, and through a range of welfare initiatives including converting our training schools into Isolation Centers," Larsen & Toubro Group Chairman AM Naik said.
The group said, it is considering transforming all company-owned training centers and other select establishments into isolation wards.
The company has also committed to offer use of its community Health & Medical Centers 24X7 and use ambulances to transport patients to nearest hospitals, it said.
L&T Smart World & Communication, a business unit of Larsen & Toubro, has installed smart technologies in over 20 major cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Prayagraj, Ahmedabad, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and others.
Besides, ensuring 24X7 availability of ambulances, doctors and other medical facilities to workmen and employees across locations, it is sending SMS alerts, in English, Hindi and other vernacular languages, to workmen and employees on COVID-19, its symptoms, testing facilities available locally.
Besides, it is relaying various health advisories and related messaging to 1,20,000 employees, daily, it said adding it has closed all offices and other establishments as per government directives and is encouraging employees to work from home.
The efforts also include formation of COVID-19 Response Teams across businesses to take timely action and Decision Response Team at corporate level to keep vigil on the evolving situation and take necessary actions.
On Saturday, Tata Sons and Tata Trusts had contributed Rs 1,500 crore for the same cause. JSW Group on Sunday donated Rs 100 crore to the PM Fund.
While, bllionaire Gautam Adani on Sunday announced a Rs 100 crore contribution by his group's philanthropy arm to the Prime Minister's Fund to fight coronavirus outbreak.
Previously, Reliance Industries had made an initial contribution of Rs 5 crore besides opening India's first Covid-19 hospital in Mumbai as also giving free meals through NGOs to the needy and fuel to emergency vehicles transporting infected patients.
