Telecom operator Airtel has decided to pay the May salaries of nearly 30,000 staffers employed by its retail and distribution partners, to help them tide over the “tough times” and the impact of the lockdown during the month, as per a note by the company to the partners.

The company had taken a similar step earlier also, paying for the April salaries of those employed by its distribution partners and retail franchisee network.

In the note, seen by PTI, Manu Sood, Hub CEO (Upper North) of Bharti Airtel, said, “We all are going through an unprecedented situation and with the lockdown that got extended for the months of April and May, we have already seen a lot of impact on our business. This disruption also resulted in drop in business across many other sectors and categories in much worse ways.”

He observed that the telecom industry is acting as a facilitator in keeping the nation and its customers connected “during these tough times”.

Sood exuded confidence that things would normalise soon and that the company will “spring back and win in the market place”.

Airtel will be paying the basic salaries of over 30,000 employees of partners for May 2020, a move aimed at helping employees and families of channel partners tide over the impact of the lockdown that got extended till the end of May.

“We understand that this extended lockdown has also reduced your returns during May, as it was for the month of April. In order to help you tide over this tough time, like in the month of April, we are extending a one-time support for the month of May as well,” Sood said.

The company has, accordingly, urged the partners to pass the base monthly pay to all their staff for May.

“Further, as you have been informed earlier, all your Airtel Friends are covered under the COVID-19 medical insurance programme as a gesture of our gratitude towards them. Exact details of the support amount will be communicated to you by your retail head,” he said.

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