War on Covid-19: RIL to make face masks and other gear; import test kits

Pledges Rs 5 crore initial support to CM Relief fund; looks to enhance its capacities to produce 100,000 face-masks a day and a large number of protective suits and garments

Mukesh Ambani promoted Reliance Industries on Monday announced an initial support of Rs 5 crore to the state’s chief minister relief fund. In addition, the company looks to ramp up production of face masks and other personal protective equipments (PPEs) for the health care sector, to aid India’s battle with Covid-19.

The firm looks to boost its production capacities to produce 100,000 face-masks a day and a large number of personal protective equipments (PPEs), such as suits and garments. Through Reliance Life Sciences, the group has also started importing additional test kits and consumables for effective testing.

In its statement, the company added, Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has set up a dedicated 100-bedded centre at Seven Hills Hospital, Mumbai for patients who test positive for Covid-19. The statement said RIL has built a fully-equipped isolation unit in Lodhivali, Maharashtra and handed it over to the district authorities.

Among other aid extended, RIL fuel retail outlets will offer free fuel to emergency services, run for COVID-19 patients and those quarantined. Part of the organized retail business, the company looks to offer free home delivery service for groceries for senior citizens.

 

At the company level, RIL said it will continue to pay contract and temporary workers, even if work has halted due to this crisis.”For those earning below Rs 30,000 per month, salaries will be paid twice a month to protect their cashflow and mitigate any overwhelming financial burden,” the statement further added.

Part of its mobility business, RIL said, for all existing JioFiber subscribers, Jio will provide double data across all plans. Jio will provide double-data across its 4G data add-on vouchers.