Paytm pledges to provide 100 OCs and an Oxygen Plant to Gujarat to fight COVID-19

India's leading digital financial services platform Paytm today announced that Paytm Foundation in association with AIF, Act foundation and Elevation Capital will be providing 100 OCs and setting up an Oxygen Plant for the Gujarat Government under its #OxygenForIndia initiative. These medical equipments would be directly provided to government hospitals, COVID care facilities, nursing homes as per the requirement of the state. The foundation will deliver the OCs and plant in the coming weeks which will contribute to meeting the demand for Oxygen in the state of Gujarat. Under the #OxygenForIndia initiative, the company has raised over Rs 25 crore by encouraging citizens to join the cause for buying OCs by pledging to match every Rupee contribution made.

Welcoming this initiative, Hon’ble Governor of Gujarat said, “We are putting our best foot forward to not only boost the morale of frontline workers but also build a sustainable resource pool for the people of Gujarat to fight the pandemic’s second wave. Organizations and people must come forward and extend their support in whatever way possible. We acknowledge and appreciate Paytm’s proactive commitment and efforts to help our state. We are optimistic that our combined initiatives will thwart further disruption caused by the pandemic.”

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder & CEO – Paytm said, "We feel proud to extend our efforts to support Gujarat Governor Shri Acharya Devvrat’s noble ‘Corona Seva Yagna’ initiative. It’s crucial in the time of crisis to provide a pillar of support to our fellow citizens as pandemic waves hit the shores. We aim to converge our resources along with the State Government's initiatives to save as many lives of the people of Gujarat. These oxygen concentrators are our humble contribution to help overcome the oxygen shortage by the Gujarat citizens struggling with COVID-19.”

Paytm has also launched COVID-19 Vaccine Finder on its app where it helps citizens to check the availability of vaccination slots for a specific date by entering different PIN codes or district details along with age group ( 18+ or 45+). Simultaneously, users can also opt for automated alerts from Paytm for upcoming available slots. The data is sourced on a real-time basis from the CoWIN API where a slot can be booked to take vaccination to protect oneself and loved ones. The company aims to enable maximum numbers of citizens to benefit from the service, get vaccinated in a timely manner & avoid crowding at the centres.

Paytm Foundation will be setting up oxygen plants in 12-13 cities as hospitals pan-India to help in increasing the supply and fight shortage. These oxygen plants would be directly installed at hospitals. The Foundation has also sourced over 21,000 Oxygen Concentrators that would be sent to government hospitals, COVID care facilities, private hospitals, nursing homes as well as Resident Welfare Associations in the month of May.