With the COVID-19 pandemic taking hold across India, key members of the film industry have stepped up their assistance to help the less privileged fight through the lockdown. Shah Rukh Khan's announcement of financial help as well as allowing the government to use his office space for a quarantine centre was praised. The actor has now come through to provide 25,000 PPE (personal protective equipment) kits to the Maharashtra government for medical professionals to use.
Minister of state for health and family welfare Rajesh Tope thanked Shah Rukh Khan for his contribution, saying, 'Many thanks Mr Shah Rukh Khan for your kind contribution of 25,000 PPE kits. This will go a long way in supporting our fight against COVID-19 and protecting our frontline medical care teams.'
Many thanks Mr. Shah Rukh Khan for your kind contribution of 25,000 PPE kits. This will go a long way in supporting our fight against COVID19 & protecting our frontline medical care team @iamsrk @MeerFoundation @CMOMaharashtra
— Rajesh Tope (@rajeshtope11) April 13, 2020
In addition, Khan will be participating in the Global Citizen charity concert by Lady Gaga, which also aims to provide support to medical workers on the frontlines of the fight against the pandemic.
Health care workers on the frontlines of the #COVID19 crisis need our support. That’s why I’m standing in solidarity with @glblctzn and @WHO for One World: #TogetherAtHome — a one-night special event on April 18. Find out how and when you can tune in: https://t.co/UlyDDSy7Rl pic.twitter.com/SOVmaF86ps
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 14, 2020
Meanwhile, Salman Khan has donated an amount of Rs15 crore for 25,000 daily-wage workers in the film industry to cover two months of expenses during the lockdown. The actor had already pledged to support the workers in association with the Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE). He has raised the amount to Rs6,000 per worker.
The federation had put together a database separately of male and female workers and shared it with Khan's foundation, Being Human, which will transfer the money directly to each member's account.
The countrywide lockdown to curb the spread of the pandemic has been extended by the government till 3 May 2020.