Coronavirus: NMDC engages tribal women of naxal-hit Dantewada in production of masks, sanitisers

Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said tribal women of naxal-affected Dantewada in Chhattisgarh have been engaged by NMDC in production of masks and sanitisers, which have been in high demand amid the coronavirus outbreak. NMDC, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel, is the country's largest iron ore miner.        In a media statement, the minister informed he has "involved tribal women from Dantewada in the fight against coronavirus."       Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) of Dantewada will make masks and hand sanitisers for NMDC which will be distributed among its employees, he said.        The PSU has been taking various measures to contain spread of the virus, he said adding NMDC will also give an additional financial assistance of Rs 1,000 to all its regular and contractual employees in "this challenging time".       An NMDC official said the masks and sanitizers which are being manufactured as per suggestions of World Health Organization (WHO) will be distributed to its employees and to the needy villagers living in the periphery of operational mining projects of the company free of cost.

Maximum women in SHGs are tribal from Dantewada which is a naxal affected region, the official said. The chemical for manufacturing of sanitisers has been sourced from Visakhapatnam, he added.         "NMDC has ordered mask to one SHG which will manufacture 10,000 masks in first phase. Another SHG of same district will manufacturer sanitiser as per chemical formula suggested by the WHO," he said.

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