Banking News – Malaysian automobile company Proton has provided drone assistance worth nearly 2 lakh ringgit to Nepal. The drones have been provided to the Government of Nepal with the aim of supporting humanitarian and disaster management efforts following the recent flood in the Bhote Koshi in Rasuwa and its impact on Nepal.

Proton has stated that the drones have been provided with the objective of gathering information about the condition of affected areas during disasters and making rescue and relief operations more effective. The company noted that drones will be particularly useful for aerial inspection of locations that are difficult or risky to reach immediately by road.

Malaysia’s National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) managed and coordinated the effort. According to the company, the drones were initially handed over to NADMA at the headquarters of the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) in Malaysia. Under Malaysia’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission, arrangements were made to bring the drones to Nepal through the SMART team currently deployed in Nepal. It has also been stated that these drones have been provided for the Government of Nepal and will remain under the ownership of the Government of Nepal.

The drone handover ceremony was attended by Edmund Lim Meng Thong, Chief Executive Officer of Proton International Corporation, and Dato’ Mior Ismail Bin Mior Akim, Director General of NADMA. Representatives from Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chu Hai Jeng and Encik Zul Izwan Hamzah, also participated in the handover program.

Speaking at the program, Proton CEO Edmund stated that drones will provide significant support in obtaining clear information about affected areas during disasters. According to him, along with current humanitarian assistance, this is expected to contribute to enhancing Nepal’s long-term disaster management capacity. He also stated that before being used in Nepal, the SMART team will provide necessary drone operation training to staff of the relevant Nepali agencies.

Proton entered Nepal through Jagdamba Motors, the official distributor of the Proton E.MAS brand in Nepal, and the popularity of the Proton brand in Nepal has been continuously increasing. Proton has also reaffirmed its commitment to stand with Nepalis during such disasters and difficult situations and to support local communities.

Additionally, Jagdamba Motors has contributed Rs 4 crore in cash to the Prime Minister’s Natural Disaster Relief Fund, demonstrating its commitment to Nepal during the time of disaster, and has also been providing other in-kind assistance. The collaboration between Proton and Jagdamba Motors reflects a shared commitment to standing with Nepalis during challenging times and contributing to national relief and recovery. The support from Proton and Shankar Group is expected to create a positive and meaningful impact. This initiative affirms the broad belief and commitment to communities of organizations that expand support to create concrete impact, particularly after natural disasters.