laitimes

Chen Maobo: We are conducting a public consultation on the new budget for prudent overall consideration

author:Golden Sheep Net

Hong Kong, 19 Jan (China News Service) -- In response to questions from members at the Legislative Council meeting on 19 January, Financial Secretary for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Paul Chan Mo-po, said that public consultation is being held on the 2022-2023 Budget, and given that resources are always limited, the SAR Government must make prudent and overall consideration when considering whether to issue consumption vouchers or similar measures involving a large amount of public funds.

Chan pointed out that the HKSAR Government considers aspects such as social and economic conditions, the impact of repeated epidemics on people's livelihood, and the current financial situation to ensure that the measures introduced are in the overall interests of Hong Kong.

In the past few years, the HKSAR Government has distributed cash to the public in response to the economic, social and financial situation, including the introduction of the Care and Sharing Scheme in 2018, the cash distribution scheme in 2020 and the introduction of the Consumption Voucher Scheme in the Budget 2021-2022.

Chen Maobo said that since 1 August 2021, eligible persons of the Consumption Voucher Scheme have successively received consumption vouchers in batches and installments through four stored value payment instruments. As at 31 December 2021, the Scheme had issued a total of approximately HK$30 billion in consumption vouchers to over 6.3 million successfully registered persons. Overall, society's response to the plan has been very positive, believing that it will help drive consumer sentiment and boost the economy.

He also mentioned that in addition to its positive impact on local consumption and the overall economy, the Voucher Scheme will also help to promote the development of Hong Kong's local e-payment market. As of December 31, 2021, the four SVC operators have added more than 4.7 million users and 96,000 merchants, and said that the number and amount of transactions processed by operators have increased significantly since the launch of the plan. (End)

EDIT: Empty

Source: China News Network

Read on