Amazon has announced plans to push its ultra-fast delivery service, Amazon Now, into more than 300 cities across India, as part of what it calls the buildout of the country’s biggest “delivery in minutes” network. At the same time, it rolled out “Sammaan” ,which is a welfare program meant to back delivery associates who are working through its ecommerce and quick commerce operations, so kind of two lanes at once.In Amazon’s telling, Amazon Now has become the fastest-growing ecommerce business unit within its India operations, with orders basically doubling each quarter since it first launched. The company also said it intends to keep putting money into fulfilment infrastructure and delivery capabilities, to help enable the planned spread, even where the routes are messy and demand changes fast.Key TakeawaysAmazon plans to expand Amazon Now to more than 300 cities across India.The company said Amazon Now orders have doubled every quarter since launch.Amazon aims to strengthen its fulfilment infrastructure to support faster deliveries and a wider product selection.Amazon announced “Sammaan”, a welfare-focused program for delivery associates.The initiative will include education scholarships, insurance enhancements and expansion of Ashray rest centres to 250 locations this year.Amazon Now Expansion PlansAmazon said Amazon Now is currently available to more than 50 million customers in over 15 metro and non metro cities, like Bengaluru Delhi-NCR Mumbai Pune Hyderabad Amritsar and Kochi, yes.The company plans on expanding the network of micro fulfilment centres and urban fulfilment centres to help the service grow. These locations will keep a wider mix of products, including groceries, fruits vegetables, frozen foods, personal care items, fashion and beauty products , small appliances, home and kitchen goods and other everyday essentials.Amazon also mentioned the rollout means customers can reach tens of thousands of items delivered within minutes, or maybe just a few hours. It further pointed to its bigger delivery map, where there are more than one million products ready for same day delivery, over four million products for next-day delivery, plus millions more accessible through Prime delivery options.Fastest-Growing Ecommerce Business UnitCommenting on the announcement, Samir Kumar, Country Manager, Amazon India said Amazon Now has now become the fastest growing ecommerce business unit in Amazon India’s history, sort of speaking.“Amazon Now is the fastest-growing ecommerce business unit in Amazon India’s history with orders having doubled every quarter since launch. We are seeing a good response from customers, especially Prime members who triple their shopping frequency once they start using Amazon Now ,” Kumar said.He also added that the company has accelerated its expansion plans, and it intends to provide ultra-fast deliveries for customers in over 300 cities across the country.Focus on Delivery AssociatesAlong with the expansion announcement, Amazon also rolled out “Sammaan”, basically a welfare program that’s meant for delivery associates across its India logistics setup, you know.The company said the initiative will back thousands of delivery associates who help power its ecommerce and quick commerce businesses. It also noted that part of Amazon India’s recently shared $300 million investment into operations and associate well-being will go toward making the program stronger and wider.Amazon said Sammaan will cover scholarships, so delivery associates’ children can pursue education, plus steps that aim to make it easier to access government benefits and financial inclusion programs. There will also be expanded insurance coverage and more on-road safety initiatives, as well.Kumar said delivery associates are, in effect, central to Amazon’s operations and that the company’s growth plans are tied to investments in their welfare and working conditions.“None of this is possible without our delivery associates who are at the heart of our ecommerce and quick commerce business, and I am excited as we launch ‘Sammaan’, a dedicated program focused on delivery associate welfare,” he said.Expansion of Ashray Rest CentresSo, as part of the Sammaan programme , Amazon said they’re planning to grow the Ashray rest centres up to 250 locations this year , sort of like that.They mentioned these rest spots will stay available for delivery associates across the industry, not just one group. The whole idea is to give delivery people a place to rest , plus some extra support infrastructure while they’re working on the job.Amazon also said this bigger welfare push is about improving health and wellness support, offering education opportunities for associates’ families, and adding workplace safety measures too.Strengthening Delivery InfrastructureThe company said the planned expansion of Amazon Now and the launch of Sammaan are, sort of part of its wider attempts to boost customer experience, while also keeping the workforce that powers its delivery operations well supported.With the planned scale-up of fulfilment infrastructure and the delivery networks, Amazon explained it wants customers to get quicker access to a broader range of products, at the same time as investing in programs that are made to support delivery associates across the country.FAQs1. What exactly is Amazon Now?Amazon Now is Amazon’s ultra-fast delivery service, and it brings selected items to customers in minutes or within a few hours.2. How many cities will Amazon Now expand to?Amazon plans to take Amazon Now to more than 300 cities throughout India.3. What products are available through Amazon Now?You can find groceries, fruits and vegetables, frozen food, personal care products, fashion and beauty items, small appliances, home and kitchen essentials, plus other everyday needs.4. What is the Sammaan program?Sammaan is a welfare initiative that Amazon launched for delivery associates who work across its ecommerce and quick commerce businesses.5. What benefits fall under Sammaan?The program includes scholarships for associates’ children, broader insurance coverage, access to government benefits and financial inclusion initiatives, on-road safety steps, and the expansion of Ashray rest centres.end of article