IndianOil helps bolster country's COVID vaccination drive, supplements cold chain requirements

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IndianOil) has leveraged its expertise and reach to bolster India's COVID-19 vaccination program by supplementing the available Cold Chain Equipment (CCE) infrastructure in Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Manipur and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the storage and transportation of vaccine, said the oil and gas company on Saturday.

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IndianOil) has leveraged its expertise and reach to bolster India's COVID-19 vaccination program by supplementing the available Cold Chain Equipment (CCE) infrastructure in Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Mpur and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the storage and transportation of vaccine, said the oil and gas company on Saturday.

According to a statement released by IOCL, IndianOil is procuring cold chain equipment (CCE) like an ice-line refrigerator (ILR), deep freezer (DF), walk-in-cooler (WIC), walk-in-freezer (WIF), and refrigerated truck (RT), for handing over to the respective state governments.

The statement also said that IndianOil management has left no stone unturned to inspire the company's stakeholders to get vaccinated at the earliest.

Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil and Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, Director (HR), IndianOil, were amongst the first few to get the indigenous vaccines to allay apprehensions amongst the stakeholders, said the statement.

Speaking about IndianOil's focus on employee welfare, Vaidya said, "An inspired, agile and resilient team of employees enabled IndianOil to fuel the economy and to keep the kitchen fires burning, even during the most difficult phases of the pandemic. We are committed to ensuring their welfare at all times".

Mohapatra, on his part, said, "We are also ensuring that the vaccination needs of our retired employees are also taken care of. Care is one of the core values that continue to drive us. As a responsible corporate citizen, IndianOil will do everything it can to contribute to the success of India's vaccination drive".

The statement further informed that during the countrywide lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic, team IndianOil ensured the smooth supply of petroleum products, including delivering on an average of 25 lakh cylinders every day to its customers' doorsteps.

The company, in its statement, further mentioned that it also extended medical insurance coverage and ex-gratia payment in case of death for its over 3,23,000 frontline soldiers.

The committee met continuously without a single break for 200 days to ensure internal and external stakeholders' safety and well-being and presently, the empowered committee continues to meet on alternate days, informed the statement.

The IOCL, in its statement, also said that quick policy decisions enabled it to accommodate work-from-home routine for its employees wherever possible.

In another unique empathy-driven move, IndianOil's HR officials proactively reached out to its 30,000 employees and over 20,000 ex-employees to check on their well-being and extend a helping hand wherever needed, said the statement.

According to the statement, IndianOil is also contributing to the resurgent economy and is well on track to achieve its capital expenditure target of Rs 26,000 crore in the current fiscal.

Since the easing of the lockdown from April 20 last year, IndianOil has commenced work on around 2,800 projects worth about Rs two trillion across the country, the statement added.

The country started its vaccination drive on January 16 with priority given to all healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase. The second phase started on March 1 where doses are being administered to people above the age of 60 and those between 45 and 59 years with specific comorbidities.

( With inputs from ANI )