Vodafone Idea has announced that it will provide 10 days of ration kits to 3000 families in India. Vodafone Foundation, a CSR arm of Vodafone Idea Limited along with CSC Academy, Learning Links Foundation, has been extending much-needed support to economically impacted families that are a part of the ongoing Gali Gali Gaon Gaon initiative under the Jaadu Ginni Ka program.
The company has revealed that each family is being given a ration kit containing adequate provisions to fulfil the need for food for a family of four to five for at least 8-10 days. The initiative is being executed in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka where CSC has been ensuring delivery of the support material to the people in need.
P. Balaji, Director – Vodafone Foundation, said, “With over 64000 reported COVID 19 cases in India, the Government, as well as Businesses, have been employing various initiatives to comfort the lower stratum of the economy and invited collective support from development organizations like ours to enhance the efficiency and scale. This endeavour to provide 10 days’ worth of ration kits to 3000 families each, is supporting the larger cause as well as taking care of the basic sustenance needs of some most impacted families that we have been working closely with under our ongoing Jaadu Ginni Ka financial literacy programme. I would like to thank the team’s efforts and co-operation in facilitating the JGK infrastructure and network to help and support the people in need, during this crisis.”
Meanwhile, Airtel and Vodafone Idea revealed that it will offer extended prepaid validity for the low-income group during the lockdown. However, it seems that the telecom operators are now looking to not extend the validity any further.
“Airtel and Vodafone Idea are not planning to extend the validity of prepaid charges for low-income groups, ” said Rajan Mathews, director-general of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). This is primarily because the operators say that the recharge options for those prepaid customers are now available in most places as stores are now opening in non-containment zones. Furthermore, Airtel and Vodafone Idea has also rolled out recharge options at Kiranas stores and more areas, which makes it easier for people to recharge their mobile number.