Ganguly To Provide Free Rice Worth Rs 50 Lacs To Needy Amid COVID19 Threat

On Wednesday, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and its president Avishek Dalmiya decided to donate a sum of Rs 25 lakh and Rs 5 lakh respectively towards the West Bengal governments Emergency Relief Fund.

Sourav Ganguly (Image: Getty)

New Delhi: Amid the coronavirus pandemic which is spreading like wild fire all over the nation, BCCI President and former India captain Sourav Ganguly has come out to render help in his own capacity by providing free rice worth Rs 50 lakh to the needy people who have been put in government schools for safety and security as the novel virus threat looms large. Sourav has written a letter to the Police Commissioner of Kolkata so that they help him distribute the same to the really needy people . "It is heartening to note that Sourav Ganguly along with Lal Baba Rice has come forward to provide free rice worth Rs 50 lacs to the needy people who have been put in government schools for safety and security. Hope this initiative of Ganguly would encourage other citizens of the state to take up similar initiatives to serve the people of our state," a statement said. On Wednesday, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and its president Avishek Dalmiya decided to donate a sum of Rs 25 lakh and Rs 5 lakh respectively towards the West Bengal governments Emergency Relief Fund. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared a pan-India lockdown for 21 days on Tuesday night to combat the deadly virus which has so far taken 11 lives. There have been more than 500 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far in the country. Hours before PM Modi announced a 21-day lockdown, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had extended till March 31 a previously announced lockdown of upto March 27 in the entire state. At present, West Bengal has nine cases with one of the patients in the state succumbing to the disease. Ganguly has also urged people to be sensible and stay indoors. In a 45-second video posted on his Twitter handle, Ganguly said: "To my fellow countrymen, to the citizens around the world, these are very testing times in our lives but we will fight it. Listen to what every state government says, listen to what every health department says. Listen to the directives of the central government as they say staying at home is important. Be safe and be isolated." "Most importantly, be sensible. Don't try out things believing that nothing is going to happen to you. Be within the closed doors. I know it's tough but that's the only solution. Good will happen, we will fight with this and we will get over this," he added. (With Agency Inputs)