Coronavirus / Virat, Anushka pledge to donate to PM CARES Fund

New Delhi: Star couple Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma and actor Kartik Aaryan on Monday pledged to support the fight against coronavirus pandemic. In an Instagram post shared by them on their respective handles, Virat and Anushka wrote that they will contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative PM-CARES Fund and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (Maharashtra), but didn’t mention an amount. Meanwhile, Kartik announced that he would donate Rs 1 crore to PM-CARES Fund and urged others to help as much as possible.

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A post shared by Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) on Mar 29, 2020 at 10:31pm PDT

“Anushka and I are pledging our support towards PM-CARES Fund and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (Maharashtra). Our hearts are breaking looking at the suffering of so many and we hope our contribution, in some way, helps easing the pain of our fellow citizens,” Virat said in a statement while Anushka too posted the same message.   

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A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Mar 29, 2020 at 10:30pm PDT

Kartik, while announcing his contribution, said, “We need each other now more than ever. Let’s show our support.”

The government set up the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund, or the PM CARES Fund on Saturday, with the objective of dealing with emergency situations such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Contributors to the fund will enjoy tax benefits, it has been announced.

"People from all walks of life expressed their desire to donate to India's war against COVID-19. Respecting that spirit, the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund has been constituted. This will go a long way in creating a healthier India," PM Modi announced in a tweet on Saturday.

Superstar Akshay Kumar pledged to donate Rs 25 crore to PM-CARES Fund, Varun Dhawan announced a contribution of Rs 30 lakh while T-series honcho Bhushan Kumar said he will donate Rs 11 crore to it.

The coronavirus pandemic has engulfed the entire world and has posed serious challenges for the health and economic security of millions of people worldwide. In India, the spread of coronavirus has been alarming. The number of coronavirus cases has already crossed 1,000 and the death toll is 29 as of Monday morning.