Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio went a step ahead offering its users across the board 100 minutes of free talk-time and 100 free SMS till 17 April. In a tweet, the company said: “10x benefits to JioPhone users when it’s needed the most – 100 minutes of calls & 100 SMS complimentary.”

Following the extension of the lockdown period till 3 May, the leading telcos have also extended their unrestricted incoming services for the targeted class of consumers. And there are indications that this offering may be further extended if the lockdown continues depending on the government’s assessment of the situation in dealing with the crisis.

“The financial woes of the low-income group are not going to get over anytime soon. We would like to keep them in our fold as long as our capacity permits,” said the senior official of a leading service provider (who did not wish to be named) while denying that the company may adjust this economic cost as CSR expenditure.

“It was almost a collective decision from leading stakeholders to support a significant group of consumers of a service which is essential to their existence in an unprecedented national crisis. Nobody is looking at adjusting this expenditure under some convenient subhead on the account sheet,” he emphasises.

Rajan Mathews, Director General of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the apex body of private telecom operators, speaks no differently. “As responsible corporate citizens, you have to take such critical commercial decisions in the interest of your consumers and the country and this is what they have done,” he says.

On the issue of whether this offering would be extended if the lockdown continues post 3 May, he presents a different take. "They will probably look at the pattern of the recent days - if the pre-paid consumers of the low-income class have begun getting their accounts recharged on their own. If that be the case, such an offering may not be needed," he explains.