The ongoing battle against the COVID-19 outbreak has seen automakers stepping up their CSR initiatives

Mahindra Logistics Limited (MLL), a part of the Mahindra Group, has come to the aid of their driver communities at this time of the coronavirus pandemic that has thrown the entire industry out of gear. The launch of HOPE – Helping Our People during Emergencies, is set to aid the company drivers financially and help them face the days ahead by digitally transferring funds to the extent of Rs.3,000 to each driver’s bank accounts.

For this, the company has partnered with Samhita Social Ventures, a social enterprise and SuperMoney financial lending tech platform. This money will at least help in a small way so that the drivers would be able to buy essentials for their families during the lockdown period. The company is also trying to include relief in the form of health insurance cover and to create a loan guaranteeing model for its workers.

The national lockdown, announced by the Government of India, has seen all state borders shut. This has impacted a large number of drivers who are ferrying goods between states and across the country. This does not only include truck drivers but also taxi drivers and those offering cab services for companies. These drivers are facing a lot of financial hardships and are finding it difficult to make ends meet.

Apart from this initiative, Mahindra Logistics Limited has also announced that its enterprise mobility business Alyte will offer emergency cab services to all those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a free service and currently offered only in Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai but more cities will also receive this service in the days ahead.

Every automaker is doing their bit to help the country, their employees and the general public in this time of a severe pandemic that has hit the world quite unexpectedly. The company is currently producing face masks and PPE and also ventilators which would cost just Rs.7,500 as against the more sophisticated brands that cost upto Rs.10 lakhs.

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Sunday also stated that the Group’s hospitality arm is being offered as medical care facilities. He has also proposed extension of the lock down so as to prevent the country from entering stage 2 of coronavirus transmission.

It may be mentioned that COVID-19 cases in India have surpassed the 21,400 mark with 682 deaths to date. The worst affected are Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi with states such as Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh also seeing increasing cases.