Dubai: The Indian Consulate in Dubai on Friday urged expats in the UAE to donate to the cause of their homeland’s fight against coronavirus.
The mission’s call came after UAE-based Indian businessman M.A. Yusuff Ali on Thursday announced a donation of Rs.250million to help India in its battle against COVID-19.
Taking to Twitter with the plea, the consulate also released details of the PM Cares Fund of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, donations to which are exempt from income tax.
“1/2) @Yusuffali_MA, Chairman, Lulu Group has contributed Rs. 25 crore towards #PMCaresFunds for #IndiaFightsCoronavirus. We urge others to also consider contributing towards this cause,” the first tweet from the consulate said.
In the next tweet, the consulate provided details of how donations can be made by visiting the website pmindia.gov.in.
On Friday, the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients in India crossed 2,300, with 56 deaths and 157 recoveries.
Ali, the chairman of Lulu group, has announced his contribution to the PM-Cares Fund.
“I have humbly contributed INR 25 Crores to #PMCaresFund to support all relief works in India’s fight against #COVIDー19
@narendramodi @PMOIndia #IndiaFightsCorona,” he said in a tweet.
A statement from the Lulu group said this is in addition to Rs100million donation to the government of Kerala, the south Indian state from where Yusuff Ali hails.
Kerala has reported a total of 295 confirmed cases.
Donating ventilators
Meanwhile, another UAE-based Keralite businessman, Sohan Roy, extended a helping hand to the Kerala government by handing over the first of 10 ventilators he has promised to the state. “Patients are going to need ventilators more than food in the later stage of this pandemic. If the number of patients continues to hike as per the present rate, the deadly reality of experiencing a scarcity of ventilators will be faced soon,” Roy said while pledging to donate one ventilator each to 10 districts in Kerala.
“Two of the promised ventilators have already arrived in Kerala and one was handed over to Alappuzha District Collector yesterday. Rest will be delivered shortly,” his company said in a statement on Friday.
Earlier, on the eve of his 53rd birthday last week, Roy, CEO of Aries Group of Companies, also pledged to provide his house in Kerala as an isolation ward for the patients.
His residence at Desamangalam is a palatial house of 9000sq.ft which can accommodate a good number of infected people, his company stated.
“Even though this birthday has to be spent in quarantine, the happiness of getting to do something for my land and fellow beings has doubled its sweetness”, said Roy.
Another of his announcements was the “Support a Family” drive to support 2000 needy families, the company stated.
Roy has asked each of his company’s employees to try and support one poor family and to take up their responsibility during this crisis period.
“This campaign was launched specifically considering the hardships that daily wagers have to endure during the lockdown period. Aries Group has been playing a major role in supporting the evacuation of students and individuals who have been stuck amidst this crisis,” the company added.
