COVID-19: STPI employees donate one-day salary to PM-CARES Fund

State-owned Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) on Monday said its employees will donate one-day salary to the PM-CARES Fund in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

As of now, it has collected Rs 15.48 lakh as contribution from all its employees, a statement said.

STPI, which has a headcount of 980 in India, said its employees are voluntarily donating their one-day salary to support the fight against the deadly coronavirus.

The number of deaths around the world linked to the new coronavirus has touched nearly 34,000. In India, the tally of confirmed coronavirus cases has crossed the 1,000-mark.

STPI has also urged the IT/ITes industry to refrain from terminating their employees, including casual and outsourced staff, and ensure that they are treated as 'on duty' during their period of absence to enable timely disbursal of wages/ salaries to them at this critical moment.

It also called on the companies to undertake social and community welfare measures and augment the efforts of the government in tackling the crisis.

"Indian IT industry has brought many laurels to the nation and today it stands resilient to COVID-19 crisis by ensuring business continuity to clients. We at STPI are committed to extend our support to the nation to fight this pandemic. Each and every employee of STPI will donate its one-day salary," STPI Director General Omkar Rai said.

STPI also recommended that companies should leverage CSR funds for implementing suitable measures while commending the efforts of the IT/ITes industry for allowing the majority of employees to work from home and adhering to the standard hygiene practices, wherever offices are operational.

STPI is an autonomous society set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in 1991, with the objective of encouraging, promoting and boosting software exports from India.