Sourav Ganguly to provide rice worth rs 25 Lakhs FREE of cost to needy

Kolkata:BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, in association with the Lal Baba Rice, has offered to donate rice worth Rs 25 lakh to the needy people, who have been put in government schools for safety and security, in view of the Novel Coronavirus threat.

"Hope this initiative of Mr Ganguly would encourage other citizens to take up similar initiatives to serve the people of our state,"  a statement from CAB said on Wednesday. The former Indian captain also offered the state government to use the iconic Eden Gardens, if the situation warranted for quarantine of the COVID-19 suspects. The dormitories of the players also could be used for such purpose, the BCCI chief said.

Meanwhile, the Cricket Association of Bengal has decided to donate Rs 25 lakh to the state administration in Corona Aid. "We are perhaps going through the darkest phase of human civilization, when worldwide lives have been lost to Novel Coronavirus," CAB president Avishek Dalmiya said.

 "Cricket stands for Unity. It also stands for humanity. Therefore, on behalf of CAB, we have decided to donate Rs 25 lakh for now to the Emergency Relief Fund, to be used in combating this disease. As a responsible institution,  it is our duty to stand by the administration and help them eradicate this disease," he added.

 "Thanks to the pro-activeness of our government, both at the state and the Centre, we have been successful in implementing a countrywide lockdown, but a lot more needs to be done. Hence, we have come forward for the sake of people in the times of crisis," said CAB Secretary Snehasish Ganguly.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the country, in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus and bring the situation under control.(UNI)