As Mizoram continues to fight the spread of deadly coronavirus with one confirmed case so far, people from all walks of life, including minors, politicians, entrepreneurs and employees have come forward to extend financial help to the State Government to fight the pandemic.
All the sitting 40 legislators of the State on Wednesday donated Rs 21.26 lakh towards Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) to fight highly spreading coronavirus.
While chief minister Zoramthanga, deputy chief minister Tawnluia, Assembly Speaker Lalrinliana Sailo, Cabinet ministers, deputy Speaker Lalrinawma, minister of states, deputy chief minister and Lunglei High Power Committee chairman donated their half-month salary, other MLA donated one-week salary, official sources said.
Mizoram Engineering Service Association (MESA), an umbrella body of graduate engineers in the State on Wednesday donated their one-day salary to the tune of Rs 10 lakh to fight coronavirus, state PWD engineer-in-chief K Lalsawmvela informed.
The donation was collected from members based on pay-scale and was contributed towards the chief minister relief fund in aid of the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, he said.
According to Lalsawmvela, there are 332 serving members under the association from four departments – PWD, power, public health engineering, and minor irrigation and water resources.
Apart from this, there are 41 associate members from Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC), pollution control board, police and industries departments, he said, adding the donation was given on behalf of the association.
Though the government has not set up separate public charity trust, it welcomes donation and contribution to chief minister’s relief fund (CMRF) in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
More than Rs 117 lakh has been donated to CMRF to fight novel coronavirus till Wednesday, official sources said.
Apart from this, contribution amounting to over Rs 24.43 was donated to health minister on Wednesday.
Besides the CMRF, people also donated to local level task forces on COVID-19 crisis in their respective areas.
The local level task forces were set up by the government involving local volunteers to cope up with manpower crunch in the battle against the deadly virus.
They not only played an important role in maintaining vigil during lockdown but also looking after the welfare of the community to ensure that no family face shortage vis-a-vis food items and essential commodities.
These local-level task forces also fed migrant workers and truck drivers, who transported essential commodities.