Covid-19: Nestle announces Rs 15 cr grant

FMCG major Nestle India on Saturday announced an initial grant of Rs 15 crore for providing food and essential groceries to the needy amid the coronavirus lockdown. It will also support purchase of medical equipment for hospitals to fight against the Covid-19 outbreak, Nestle India said in a statement.

The company has already started with a contribution of Rs 1 crore to Narayana Hrudayalaya Foundation for purchase of ventilators for Delhi/NCR. "We commit to initially, a sum of Rs 15 crores towards feeding programs for less privileged sections of society through participation with leading and credible NGOs engaged in this along with distribution of essential groceries to the needy," Nestle India said.

The company would participate with NGOs working on distribution of food and essential groceries. "We have already started the process of donating our brands to local governments to support the needy," it added.

Moreover, its employees are helping the Indian Red Cross Society provide relief in the impacted areas through their voluntary contribution program, which is then topped up with equivalent contribution from Nestle India, the statement said. Nestle India Chairman and Managing Director Suresh Narayanan said: "We commit ourselves to continue to give every possible support to the communities and to the authorities who are fighting tirelessly and valiantly each day against the spread of this virus. This dedication to a national cause goes from our supply chain, to our factories, our people, our distribution partners, who work round the clock to ensure that we continue to meet the nutritional needs of families." "We heed to a call of duty to ensure that much-needed food and beverage products are available to our consumers and communities throughout the country," he added. Nestle India is also providing a three-month Covid-19 insurance protection to its distribution partners who are delivering goods in the lockdown.

India is presently going through an unprecedented complete lockdown of three weeks, ending on April 14, to prevent the spread of the virus. According to the latest report from the Health Ministry, the total number of Covid-19 cases in India climbed to 2,902, with the death count at 68.