Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 23 (IANS): Advertisement revenue totalling Rs 15 lakh generated through First Bell classes streamed online or broadcast on TV in Kerala has been donated to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF), an official said on Sunday.

This initiative was launched on June 1 as an interim arrangement (and not as alternate) to hold classes as state schools were forced to close down due to Covid-19 pandemic.

K Anvar Sadath, Chief Executive Officer, KITE (Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education) told IANS that only limited and restricted advertisements are permitted in their YouTube channel.

"It has been decided to donate the first month's advertisement revenue of Rs 15 lakh to the CMDRF. the endeavour was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and has successfully telecast 1,500 episodes so far," said Sadath.

"At present, every month, as much as 442 terabyte of data is being reported from 141 countries on the web and mobile platforms of KITE VICTERS channel alone and its YouTube channel now has over 17.6 lakh subscribers and over 15 crore viewers," added Sadath.

The initiative by the Kerala Education Department was taken through the KITE VICTERS educational channel.

He said that as part of the programme, general classes on yoga, motivation and careers have already begun, while classes on sports education would start soon, followed by classes on mental health from the first week of September.