In response to the Prime Minister’s call to contribute to the newly constituted Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund, Energy Maharatna Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has allocated Rs 300 crore from its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds. The ONGC initiative came in attempt to strengthen the national drive to fight against the pandemic of COVID-19.

Furthermore, 30,100 employees of the National Oil Company ONGC have voluntarily decided to contribute their two days’ salary – amounting to around Rs 16 crore – to the PM CARES fund to support the government in combating this national crisis.

Amid the escalating scare of the novel coronavirus, as the entire nation of 1.3 billion people has been in a much-necessary lockdown, ONGC maintained offshore and onshore operations round the clock to ensure uninterrupted supply of oil and gas in the country. Continuing its essential operations, the Energy Maharatna has also ensured full compliance of the government and the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines – like maintaining social-distancing, personal hygiene, work-from-home, etc.

In its fight to contain the spread of the pandemic  – that has affected millions of people worldwide – ONGC, as a socially responsible corporate, has been taking several initiatives to protect not just its employees and their families but several others in and around its operational areas who are in dire need.

ONGC has also been distributing sanitizers and face-masks to the poor people near its various operational areas across the country. As the coronavirus is spreading through surface contamination, the need of hand disinfectants has become an imperative. Due to extensive use, since the sanitizers are becoming scarce in the market, ONGC has been formulating sanitizers from its in-house resources.

Considering the enormity of the situation, ONGC Chairman and Managing Director Mr Shashi Shanker has urged all employees to extend support by providing food, raw materials and other essentials to the needy on a personal or community level, with the help of the authority.

“I firmly believe, together we will overcome this national crisis,” said Mr Shashi Shanker in a tweet.