Swiggy launches ‘Swiggy Suraksha’ to offer COVID-19 relief, support for delivery partners
Swiggy's care package offers financial support and hospitalisation cover for delivery partners and their families affected by COVID-19.
Foodtech unicorn Swiggy on Monday said it had launched ‘Swiggy Suraksha’ — a special care package for over 1.5 lakh delivery partners and their families in the first week of May. Last month, it had also started a vaccination drive for its delivery partners.
The care package covers a host of services, including financial support and hospitalisation cover for delivery partners and their families affected by COVID-19.
“With Swiggy Suraksha, we are making sure that our delivery heroes also have the necessary support, including a 24/7 hotline for medical emergencies, access to doctors for themselves and their families, income support, free access to vaccines, hospitalisation cover for themselves and their families if affected by COVID-19,” Vivek Sunder, COO, Swiggy, said.
The Bengaluru-based startup has already helped delivery partners and their kin in cities, including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, Kolkata, Trivandrum, Kanpur, Jaipur, Pune, and Modinagar, with oxygen cylinders, oxygen beds, ambulances, and COVID-19 medicines.
The care package enables all COVID-19 affected delivery partners to receive industry-best income support and nutrition care support of Rs 14,000 for two weeks without worrying about earning a livelihood during their recovery period.
In fact, in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai, if a partner chooses to, Swiggy does doorstep delivery of homestyle meals prepared in its cloud kitchens.
The COVID-19 positive delivery partners and their families also receive enhanced hospitalisation cover of up to Rs 1.5 lakh. Besides, it has enhanced life insurance cover to Rs 5 lakh in the event of an untimely death of a delivery partner.
Swiggy also provides income support for one week for delivery partners during bereavement and is not limited to COVID-19-related bereavement.
It also set up a 24x7 COVID-19 hotline with employee volunteers to assist them with finding beds, ambulances, oxygen support, and medical support, including access to doctors via telemedicine for health consultation and early assessment.
It also created a microsite within the Swiggy delivery partner app — also available in major regional languages — to ensure they have access to the support.
“We have a great responsibility towards our partners, and consider this programme as a milestone in our journey to do better for them every day,” Vivek said.
Edited by Suman Singh