Hyderabad's Swiggy delivery executives demand rollback of new incentive scheme

Hyderabad: Delivery executives of the food delivery app, Swiggy, are protesting against the company's newly-rolled incentive scheme and demanding Swiggy rollback the new scheme and restore the old one.

According to the new incentive scheme, the delivery executives will now get Rs. 15 as the basic amount for any delivery which is a massive cut from their previous basic of Rs. 35. Abdul Rehman, a resident of Tolichowki who has been working for Swiggy for two years, said, “Earlier, I was able to earn a maximum of Rs. 120 if the delivery was 10-12 km away. But under the new scheme, I can only earn a maximum of Rs. 60-70.”

Another executive, Basil, said to earn an amount close to what he earned under the previous scheme, he will have to work for at least 12 hours every day. “Under the new scheme, we get Rs. 5 per km, while earlier it was higher,” he added.

The executives further alleged that their zones have also been increased to 15-20 km from the previous 10 km.

Delivery executives around the country have been protesting against the scheme ever since it was rolled out on 10 August. The national secretary of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers, Shaik Salauddin, said the new incentive scheme would make it difficult for delivery executives to afford basic items. “A company like Swiggy did not face much impact during the lockdown as the delivery executives adapted to the new structure. They supplied groceries and other essential items even when restaurants were closed. So it is hypocritical for the company to roll back their due incentives.”

The Swiggy executives said the state representatives of the company are not responding to their demands. “We have been protesting for five days and yet we haven't heard anything from the company,” one of them alleged.