Eicher group pledges Rs 50 cr to combat coronavirus

Automaker Eicher Group on Tuesday pledged Rs 50 crore for initiatives to combat coronavirus pandemic in India, including setting up of dedicated specialty wards in hospitals, purchase and distribution of personal protective equipment for medical care personnel.

The group which comprises Royal Enfield, a unit of Eicher Motors Ltd, and VE Commercial Vehicles -- joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors Ltd, also said it is in talks with various government organisations to support the production of critical medical equipment and supplies, including ventilators.

"This will include the employment and leverage of new-age technologies like 3-D printing for rapid scaling up of parts for the medical equipment," the group said in a statement.

While pledging Rs 50 crore, the group further said while this is an initial commitment of funds, it will continue to assess the situation and is likely to increase spends over the forthcoming months to deploy support and for long-term rehabilitation in the aftermath of the pandemic".

The group will work towards "augmenting healthcare support by working with an identified set of government and private hospitals to build dedicated COVID-19 specialty wards, including isolation areas, and equipment towards patient care".

It will also work towards providing food, provisions and sanitation consumables, as well as setting up sanitation facilities for high-need-gap, underprivileged local communities in parts of several states across the country.

"Funds will also be directed towards support and relief measures for truck drivers, including food and sanitation supplies and COVID-19 healthcare testing kits," the statement said.

While these are initiatives being undertaken immediately, the group said, "there is a strong need to employ recovery and rehabilitation efforts in the medium and long-term."