MP seeks donors support in Vizag | Need Rs. 15 crore relief kits for poor

Rajya Sabha MP Vijayasai Reddy seeks donors support in Vizag. He urged industrialists to come forward and help the poor during the country-wide lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. The MP conducted a meeting with District Collector V Vinay Chand (IAS), various industrialists and businessmen at VMRDA Children’s Arena on Thursday. In the press meet that followed the meeting, MP Vijayasai Reddy revealed that Vizag’s industrialists have donated a total of Rs 2.74 crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and Rs. 4.6 crore to the District Collector’s Aid for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

He urged donors to come forward and help the poor during the country-wide lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic in Vizag. The MP said that the State Government has been providing Rs.1000 per month to the poor for essential supplies and expenses via appointed volunteers. Stating that over 2 lakh poor people need to be taken care of in Vizag, the MP said that the district administration needs Rs. 15 crores as each kit given to the poor costs Rs. 700 each. “A new bank account in the name of GVMC Commissioner has been opened for collecting funds for the same,” stated MP Vijaysai Reddy.

Immediately after the MP requested for donations, entrepreneurs from Visakhapatnam Sea Foods, Visakha Dairy, and Laurus Labs donated Rs. 10 lakh each. While Cloth Merchants Association and CREDAI Association donated 5 lakhs each, Sukhibhava Real Estate donated Rs. 3 lakhs towards helping the poor amid the lockdown.

Further, Mr Reddy revealed that ten donors have come forward to donate disinfectant tunnels. He stated that the Police Commissioner will deem where they will be installed in the city. The MP also stated that provisions and groceries for home guards will be donated by Pragati Bharti Trust as their incomes are meagre.

Speaking at the meeting, Vizag District Collector V Vinay Chand said that stringent measures are being taken to contain the virus in the red zones. He said that the team from Delhi that came to review the relief measures expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the State Government to prevent COVID-19.