FMCG major ITC has pledged Rs 150 crore to enable “frontline warriors” in the fight against coronavirus. “ITC is setting up a Contingency Fund of Rs 150 crore to address and manage the challenges arising out of this adversity. This fund will be utilised primarily to provide relief to the vulnerable and most needy sections of society who have been harshly impacted by the pandemic and have faced significant disruption in their livelihoods,” the maker of Savlon handwash said in a statement on Friday. Earlier, the company had reduced the prices of its handwashes to make them more affordable as the country races to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
The ITC fund will also be directed towards providing assistance to the district health and rural healthcare eco-system which is crucial to help the weakest sections of society. The fast-moving consumer goods company also said that the resources under the fund will help “ground forces” and workers employed in medicines, groceries, other essential goods, sourcing of agri-commodities. These resources will also be deployed in providing protective personal gear and hygiene products to “frontline warriors”, ITC said.
As the demand for personal hygiene products has zoomed in recent times, the company is also trying to ensure ample availability of these items in the country. Other FMCG companies had also announced plans to help the country in the testing times. Godrej, for instance, had announced that it will distribute 10 lakh units of its Mr Magic powder-to-liquid handwash in Maharashtra. It also cut the prices of its Protekt sanitisers to one-third. “In public interest and in line with government regulations, we have reduced the price of our hand sanitisers by 66%. We are determined to help all Indians be safe and healthy, to tide over this pandemic together,” Nisaba Godrej, Executive Chairperson, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), said in a statement this week.
Dettol-fame RB also recently said that it will distribute 1 crore units of soap among the most vulnerable section of the society. RB has also pledged £32 million in the fight against coronavirus. “In India, we will donate 10 million bars of Dettol soap to the most vulnerable,” Laxman Narasimhan, RB’s Global CEO, said. Meanwhile, the cases of coronavirus have crossed 700 mark in India with at least 20 deaths so far.