ITC limits operations to production of essential items

FMCG-to-hospitality major ITC on Friday said that its factories are producing only essential items such as flour, buiscuits and sanitisers.
The company, however, said that its manufacturing facilities of essential goods are partially operational with limited workforce in view of the coronavirus crisis and the restrictions announced by the Central and state governments.
“In the context of the situation arising due to spread of COVID-19 and the directives received from the Central & State Governments and local bodies, we write to advise that the company’s factories manufacturing essential items like atta, noodles, biscuits, snacks, soaps, sanitisers etc. are operating partially with limited workforce,” it said in a regulatory filing.
Apart from the factories manufacturing essential items, as stated above, the company has suspended operations at its factories and plant locations.
ITC said that the financial impact of the suspension of operations cannot be determined at the current stage and the company is closely monitoring the situation and will decide on resumption of its operations based on further directives from the government.
The 21-day nation-wide lockdown announced by the Prime Minister on Tuesday in a bid to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus infection would end on April 14.
In another development, ITC has set up a Rs 150 crore Covid Contingency Fund for vulnerable sections of society who have been affected by the pandemic.
It said this fund will be utilised primarily to provide relief to the vulnerable and most needy sections of society who have been harshly impacted by the pandemic and have faced significant disruption in their livelihoods.
In addition, the fund will collaborate with district authorities to provide assistance to the district health and rural healthcare eco-system that reaches out to the weakest sections of society.