A substantial portion of the NT$230 billion (US$7.8 billion) budgeted by the Executive Yuan for the third phase of the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program would go toward rail construction and the development of 5G infrastructure, sources said on Saturday.
The proposed budget would be divided into two parts: NT$124.1 billion for the next fiscal year and NT$105.9 billion for fiscal year 2022, the sources said.
Rail construction projects account for NT$40.2 billion of the budget, including NT$5.6 billion for a rail elevation project in Chiayi, NT$4.7 billion for an electrification project along the Chaojhou (潮州) section of the South Link Line and NT$1.4 billion for a light rail project connected to the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit System in New Taipei City’s Ankeng District (安坑), they said.
The projects are expected to spur domestic demand, they added.
Other budgetary items include NT$74.1 billion for urban planning and construction; NT$52.4 billion for water facilities; NT$44.4 billion for digital infrastructure; NT$7.9 billion for renewable energy facilities; NT$7.6 billion for talent cultivation programs; NT$1.8 billion for child-rearing policies; NT$1.6 billion for food safety projects and NT$1 billion for weather forecast systems, the sources said.
A key policy goal of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration is developing 5G infrastructure, which under the budget would receive NT$15.5 billion to help construct 5G base stations and networks, they said.
Items related to renewable energy include the development of electric buses, which would cost NT$700 million, and carbon cycle projects totaling NT$590 million.
Water-related projects include the NT$5 billion excavation of an artificial lake adjacent to the Dadu River (大肚溪), which separates Taichung from Changhua County, and a project to improve tap water quality, which would cost NT$3 billion, they said.
Urban planning and construction projects include NT$9 billion to build parking lots, NT$13 billion for road improvement projects and NT$1.8 billion to establish more parent-friendly spaces to care for toddlers, they said.
Food safety programs include NT$1.4 billion for talent cultivation projects, with part of that funding going toward fostering Chinese-English bilingual talent.
In related developments, responding to questions about whether plans to scrap a second extraordinary legislative session this month would affect disease prevention and economic relief efforts, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) on Saturday said that extraordinary sessions are held when a motion from a lawmaker is passed or when the president requests that they be held, and that his job as the speaker is to ensure that procedure is followed.
It would be up to the caucuses to consider the possible consequences should they decide against holding a second extraordinary session before the next plenary session starts next month, he said.
Additional reporting by Huang Hsin-po
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