Engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Monday announced Rs 150 crore donation to the PM-CARES Fund to fight the coronavirus outbreak and said it has earmarked Rs 500 crore per month to support its 160,000 contract workers as India continues with a nationwide lockdown to combat Covid-19 pandemic, the company said in a press statement.

The company, which has stopped work at over 500 live projects, will support about 160,000 contract workers by continuing to pay their wages during the ongoing lockdown and providing them with food and basic amenities at labour camps, while maintaining the COVID-19 prevention and containment protocol.

L&T joins a list of other corporates including Tata Group and Reliance Industries who have come forward to offer their support to fight this unprecedented crisis.

“Responding to the call given by Prime Minister of India, the company will donate Rs 150 crore to the PM-CARES Fund,” the company said in a statement.

The diversified conglomerate said it is committed to participate in corporate India’s response to COVID-19 through funds, community welfare plans and through leveraging its expertise to offer assistance.

“We are helping India’s fight against COVID-19 by way of immediate funding, and through a range of welfare initiatives including converting our training schools into Isolation Centers,” Larsen & Toubro Group Chairman AM Naik said.

The group said it is considering transforming all company-owned training centers and other select establishments into isolation wards.

The company has also committed to offering the use of its community Health & Medical Centers 24X7 and use ambulances to transport patients to nearest hospitals, it said.

L&T Smart World & Communication, a business unit of Larsen & Toubro, has installed smart technologies in over 20 major cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Prayagraj, Ahmedabad, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and others.

Besides, ensuring 24X7 availability of ambulances, doctors and other medical facilities to workmen and employees across locations, it is sending SMS alerts, in English, Hindi and other vernacular languages, to workmen and employees on COVID-19, its symptoms, testing facilities available locally.

Besides, it is relaying various health advisories and related messaging to 1,20,000 employees, daily, it said adding it has closed all offices and other establishments as per government directives and is encouraging employees to work from home.

The efforts also include formation of COVID-19 Response Teams across businesses to take timely action and Decision Response Team at corporate level to keep vigil on the evolving situation and take necessary actions.