Google Announces Rs 113 Cr Grant Towards India's Covid-19 Relief Efforts

The grant comes from Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, which will support procurement and installation of about 80 oxygen generation plants.

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New Delhi: The American multinational technology giant Google announced a grant of Rs 113 crore towards Covid-19 relief efforts in India, which will include setting up oxygen generation plants and improving healthcare infrastructure in rural areas.

The grant comes from Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, which will support procurement and installation of about 80 oxygen generation plants in healthcare facilities in high-need and rural locations. It includes a grant of Rs 90 crore and Rs 18.5 crore respectively, to two non-profit organizations based in India, GiveIndia and (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health) PATH.

“Google.org's grant to set up 80 oxygen generation plants (OGPs) will strengthen our healthcare system across many parts of India. GiveIndia in collaboration with PATH will procure and install these OGPs in locations with highest potential impact," said Atul Satija, chief executive officer of GiveIndia.

“We’re now broadening our COVID-19 support to help strengthen India’s healthcare infrastructure and workforce -- especially in rural areas", said Sanjay Gupta, Country Head and Vice President, Google India.

The tech giant also said to invest in Apollo Medskills, which is a training school for healthcare professionals. This will help up-skill 20,000 frontline health workers through the partnership, providing specialized training for covid-19 management in the rural health workforce and systems.

Google.org will also make Rs 3.6 crore grant to ARMMAN, another non-profit-organization for running skilling programs for 180,000 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and 40,000 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) in 15 Indian states. This grant will also be used to set up a call centre(s) by ARMMAN to provide additional help and advice for ASHAs and ANMs where required.

The technology giant had committed Rs135 crore funding for covid-19 response in India in April. Those included two grants worth a total of Rs20 crore to GiveIndia, and donations to UNICEF for supplying urgent medical supplies, oxygen and more.