All companies should be asked to devote their CSR funds exclusively towards creation of clean quarantine centres and addition of hospital beds and ventilators. High networth individuals should also be encouraged likewise, suggested The Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI).

The SICCI was invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in a video conference seeking suggestions from industry bodies to combat Covid-19.

Nearly 25 per cent of funds, including gold, available with all religious trust (irrespective denomination) should be made available by these places of worship towards more clean quarantine facilities and addition of hospital beds and ventilators, says a press release issued by the chamber’s president R Ganapathi. The chamber suggested eleven points to Modi.

Women’s Self Help Group and the informal sector should be asked to produce masks and hand sanitisers in a big way. A relief fund for the workforce in less organised sector, including hawkers, need to be created. There is an urgent need to declare Information Technology services as essential services and get the IT companies back on stream. The Indian academic structure needs to be looked into and the current challenges could be converted into opportunity, the chamber said.

The chamber urged the Centre to give approvals to more testing centres in the private sector. It also urged the private sector hospitals to provide specific number of isolation wards to the poor and extend financial assistance on soft terms.

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