Indian origin Google chief Sundar Pichai has donated Rs 5 crore to an organisation and the proceeds of the donation will mainly be utilised to help daily wage earners as the country remains under a lockdown. “Thank you Sundar Pichai for matching Google org’s Rs 5 crore grant to provide desperately needed cash assistance for vulnerable daily wage worker families,” Bengaluru-based non-profit organisation GiveIndia said in a tweet on Monday. Earlier, Google had also pledged over $800 million for helping against the global outbreak of coronavirus. In the last few days, many industrialists and corporations have come forward to help the government as the world faces the coronavirus threat.
Besides the donation, Google is teaming up with another technology giant Apple as these two companies work together on a contact tracing application while also ensuring privacy of its users. The system will be available for all Android and iOS devices in the coming days. Apple and Google are focusing on a completely ‘anonymous’ approach by using Bluetooth rather than location or GPS to track people. “Google and Apple are announcing a joint effort to enable the use of Bluetooth technology to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the virus, with user privacy and security central to the design,” the two companies said in a statement last week.
Earlier, Ratan Tata-led Tata Trusts and Tata group together pledged Rs 1,500 crore. Wipro Ltd, Wipro Enterprises Ltd and Azim Premji Foundation had also earlier committed Rs 1,125 crore. RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani also said that other than providing financial aid, the company will also help in the production of protective masks and setting up of isolation wards. On the other hand, FMCG companies such as HUL, ITC, and RB extended support efforts such as providing sanitizers, masks and meals to people in addition to monetary help. Anand Mahindra’s Mahindra & Mahindra Group had offered its resorts as care facilities for infected patients.