Next 10-15 days crucial in dealing with coronavirus and its economic impact: Dr Sangita Reddy
The FICCI President says appropriate health response, collective public discipline, and acknowledgment of the economic crisis with policy measures is the need of the hour.
By ET Bureau | Updated:
Agencies
Reddy feels that the onus is on citizens to contain the virus.
As Covid-19 continues to spread, we speak to FICCI President Dr Sangita Reddy about the steps that corporates should take to contain this pandemic.
In his address to the nation, PM Narendra Modi has suggested steps to deal with coronavirus. How do you think corporate India can help? Prime Minister Modi has outlined the best path to be followed by us as a nation. The onus is on us as responsible citizens to contain the virus and we need to help by being well aware of the facts of this contagious infection. FICCI has come out with a guideline for organisations to deal with the safety and business issues. They can be accessed on ficci.in.
How do you think we’ll be able to prevent this from spreading further in India? India should certainly be able to successfully manage with the help of containment measures. We need to get one step ahead when it comes to our awareness and prevention steps. The response of public hospitals has been very good so far. Private healthcare sector is on alert and will swing into action in full force to provide beds, manpower and equipment.
The economic impact of Covid-19 is set to be huge. How to deal with it? The PM has set up a task force under Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to assess the situation.
We are providing all support to the government by submitting economic analysis and suggesting steps. FICCI has conducted a survey among member companies and associations between March 15 and March 19, 2020, which has shown 53 per cent of businesses witnessing marked impact on operations even at early stages of the coronavirus.
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What should be the way forward? A combination of appropriate health response, collective public discipline, and acknowledgment of the economic crisis with policy measures is the need of the hour. The immediate steps to support the vulnerable, whether it is on the health side or the economy side, are necessary.
The next 10-15 days are crucial in terms of dealing with the virus and its economic impact. Both monetary policy and fiscal policy support, including relief in loan repayment, cut in interest rates, relaxation and relief in mandatory tax payment and return filing will be required. It’s a tough situation but I am sure we will overcome it together.
The War Against Coronavirus: Pichai, Jack Ma, Ambani & Other Top Bosses Show The Way
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Chinese billionaire Jack Ma (C) showed his benevolent side as he pitched in to help the world fight the novel coronavirus. The founder of e-commerce major, Alibaba, Ma became the most talked about business figure after he said that he would marshall all available resources at his disposal to take on Covid-19. From donating emergency supplies (1.8M masks, 210K test kits, 36K protective suits, plus ventilators & thermometers) to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, Pakistan & Sri Lanka in Asia to donating 20,000 test kits, 100,000 masks and 1,000 medical use protective suits in each of the 54 African countries, the 55-year-old proved that he was a good Samaritan whose charity was not mapped by geographical boundaries.
And even as the business magnate didn’t have India in his list of beneficiaries, there was much talk in the country about his act of generosity. And what followed were natural questions: who among India’s rich was doing a Jack Ma?
And it’s not just one individual, but a bunch of lion-hearted boardroom tycoons who have taken the pledge to help fight the virus that has thrown life off-track, in India and across the world.
Chinese billionaire Jack Ma (C) showed his benevolent side as he pitched in to help the world fight the novel coronavirus. The founder of e-commerce major, Alibaba, Ma became the most talked about bu..
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Google chief Sundar Pichai has donated Rs 5 crore to Give India, matching Google's earlier donation to the non-profit organisation for the coronavirus pandemic.
"Thank you @sundarpichai for matching @Googleorg's Rs 5 crore grant to provide desperately needed cash assistance for vulnerable daily wage worker families...," Give India said in a tweet.
Previously, Google had announced an over USD 800 million commitment towards efforts to tackle Covid-19 pandemic that claimed thousands of lives globally. This includes a USD 200 million investment fund for NGOs and banks to help small businesses access capital.
Besides, Google has also teamed up with Apple to work on a contact tracing approach designed with strong controls and protections for user privacy.
(With Inputs from PTI)
Google chief Sundar Pichai has donated Rs 5 crore to Give India, matching Google's earlier donation to the non-profit organisation for the coronavirus pandemic."Thank you @sundarpichai for matching @..
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Hyundai Motor India on Monday said it has donated Rs 7 crore to the PM CARES Fund to fight the Covid-19 crisis.
"Our contribution to the PM CARES Fund stands testament to solidarity we hold with the people of India, amidst this crisis," Hyundai Motor India MD and CEO SS Kim said in a statement.
In challenging times such as these, the company will continue giving back to help India defeat this adversity, he added.
The South Korean automaker had earlier pledged Rs 5 crore to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Relief Fund.
It has also donated imported diagnostic kits worth Rs 4 crore which can cater to testing requirements of over 25,000 individuals.
(With inputs from PTI)
Hyundai Motor India on Monday said it has donated Rs 7 crore to the PM CARES Fund to fight the Covid-19 crisis."Our contribution to the PM CARES Fund stands testament to solidarity we hold with the p..
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Elecon Group CMD, Prayasvin B Patel has donated Rs 11 lakh to the CM Fund to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, relief and rehabilitation work.
Also, Elecon Group has partnered with the District Collector's Office to distribute food and grocery kits among the vulnerable people.
Over 1,000 grocery kits have been distributed under the able guidance of Prayasvin B Patel and Mrs. Taruna P Patel. The grocery bag includes 10kg wheat flour, 5kg rice, 1 kg, dal, 1 kg sugar and 1 kg salt. Lunch and Dinner were also provided to the needy people at Vasad, Chikhodra and Bevda Villages.
(With inputs from ANI)
Elecon Group CMD, Prayasvin B Patel has donated Rs 11 lakh to the CM Fund to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, relief and rehabilitation work.Also, Elecon Group has partnered with the District Collector's..
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Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo, on Friday, announced that it has donated close to 9 lakh masks to government health bodies, police agencies and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
"Vivo India has donated close to 900,000 masks to government health bodies, police agencies and @tweetndmc. We will continue to do whatever we can, in our capacity, to help the country overcome the COVID19 pandemic. This is for all HeroesWhoCare Folded handsFolded hands Coronarelief," Nipun Marya, Director, Brand Strategy, Vivo India said in a tweet.
Earlier, the company donated one lakh medical masks and 5,000 N-95 masks to the Maharashtra government.
(With Inputs from PTI)
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo, on Friday, announced that it has donated close to 9 lakh masks to government health bodies, police agencies and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC)."Vivo India ha..
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On Sunday evening Mukesh Ambani (in pic) stepped out to the balcony of his Altamount Road residence ‘Antilia’ and showed his gratitude to the country’s caregivers as he clapped his hands and rang the bell.
Hours later on Monday, Reliance Industries Limited announced that it is enhancing production capacities to manufacture 100,000 face-masks daily and a large number of protective equipment like suits and garments, for the country's health workers who are engaged in fighting the novel coronavirus. The oil and retail major also said that it has provided an initial support of Rs 5 crore to the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
RIL's Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, has also set up a dedicated 100-bed centre at Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai for patients who test positive for Covid-19. The Foundation has also decided to provide free meals to people across various cities in partnership with NGOs.
Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of India's largest firm Reliance Industries, on April 20, pledged free meals, building country's first Covid-19 hospital and is supplying PPEs and masks as part of its effort to help the nation fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
Reliance Foundation's 'Mission Anna Seva' that aims to provide over 3 crore meals to marginalised communities and frontline workers facing hardships during the lockdown, is the largest free meal programme by any corporate foundation globally, its chairperson Nita Ambani said.
(With inputs from PTI)
On Sunday evening Mukesh Ambani (in pic) stepped out to the balcony of his Altamount Road residence ‘Antilia’ and showed his gratitude to the country’s caregivers as he clapped his hands and rang the..
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Home grown Dabur group, on Tuesday, pledged Rs 21 crore to support the relief efforts and help the immediate needs of people affected from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The group will also provide assistance to people engaged in frontline efforts to fight the virus and support to members of vulnerable sections of the society and migrant workers, who are the hardest hit by this pandemic.
"We have earmarked a fund of Rs 21 crore towards relief efforts... Out of this pledged amount, a sum of Rs 11 crore is being contributed to PM CARES Fund by Dabur India and other entities in the Group," said Dabur India Ltd Chairman Amit Burman said.
(With inputs from PTI)
Home grown Dabur group, on Tuesday, pledged Rs 21 crore to support the relief efforts and help the immediate needs of people affected from the Covid-19 pandemic.The group will also provide assistance..
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Indian software major Infosys, too, joined the Covid-19 fight with a Rs 100 crore donation. The Infosys Foundation has contributed half of this amount to the PM CARES Fund to expand hospital capacity for treatment and enable hospital stays for poor Covid-19 patients. The Foundation recently said it would help set up a hospital in Bengaluru exclusively to treat people infected by the virus.
Sudha Murty, who is the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, said that “these are unprecedented times that require every section of the society to rise up to the challenge.” Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, while terming the Covid -19 pandemic as ‘one of the toughest challenges that the world has been faced with’, reiterated that it is imperative for businesses to join hands with the governments, civil society and healthcare institutions to support the communities.
Indian software major Infosys, too, joined the Covid-19 fight with a Rs 100 crore donation. The Infosys Foundation has contributed half of this amount to the PM CARES Fund to expand hospital capacity..
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On Sunday, as the country observed ‘Janata Curfew’ as a mark of appreciation for the selfless help provided by the caregivers, Anand Mahindra (in pic) shared some heartening news with his 7.5 mn followers on Twitter. The Mahindra Group chairman offered to convert Mahindra Holiday resorts as temporary care facilities. He also tweeted that the group will ‘immediately begin work on how our manufacturing facilities can make ventilators’.And that’s not all. He also pledged that the Mahindra Foundation will create a fund to assist SMEs and SMBs, ‘the hardest hit in our value chain’. The business tycoon himself pledged to contribute 100% of his salary to the fund, and keep adding to it over the course of the next few months.
On Sunday, as the country observed ‘Janata Curfew’ as a mark of appreciation for the selfless help provided by the caregivers, Anand Mahindra (in pic) shared some heartening news with his 7.5 mn fo..
Read More
The Executive Chairman of Vedanta Resources Limited showed his generous side as he pledged Rs 100 cr to fight the pandemic. The 66-year-old Anil Agarwal (in pic), who tweeted a picture of his participation in the ‘Janata Curfew’, wrote on the micro-blogging platform that was ‘committing 100 cr towards fighting the Pandemic’. Expressing concern for the daily wage earners, he wrote that ‘we will do our bit to help’.
The Executive Chairman of Vedanta Resources Limited showed his generous side as he pledged Rs 100 cr to fight the pandemic. The 66-year-old Anil Agarwal (in pic), who tweeted a picture of his partici..
