Airtel to pay April salary of over 25,000 staff of its dealers, franchisees

The company's circle heads have written to its dealers and distributors that it will provide a one-time support to their staff who suffer a loss of business amid the current nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of covid-19 pandemic.

“In order to help you tide over this tough time, we plan to extend a onetime support for the month of April. This is done with an endeavour to ensure that your FSE and other frontline colleagues get their basic income. You are therefore requested to pass on your staff remuneration for the month of April," Vani Venkatesh, Bharti Airtel’s chief executive officer for the Delhi-National Capital Region circle, said in a letter to their partners. Mint has seen a copy of the letter.

Venkatesh said that the company has also covered all field service executives of its partners under the covid-19 medical insurance program “as a gesture of our gratitude towards this force".

“We are absolutely confident that once the lockdown is over by 3rd May, we will spring back and win in the market place," Venkatesh said.

Heads of the telecom operator’s other circles have also written similar letters to their partners, a spokesperson for the company told Mint.

The company is trying to shield its dealers and their staff from the uncertainty caused by the lockdown of various operations, including distribution chains of telecom companies. However, essentials services like network maintenance continue.

India is under a 40-day lockdown till 3 May to curb the spread of covid-19 disease, which so far has infected more than 17,000 people, out of which over 500 have died.