The Executive Yuan yesterday approved changes to a COVID-19 relief program, including payments of NT$100,000 (US$3,571) to surviving kin of people who have died from COVID-19, as well as subsidies for part-time workers, start-up entrepreneurs and Alien Permanent Resident Certificate holders.
Following a report by the National Development Council at a Cabinet meeting in Taipei, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) approved the amendments, which relax subsidy requirements, increase funding and establish new categories of funding to help reduce financial burdens as part of the “Stimulus 4.0” program, which was launched following the implementation of a nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert.
Part-time workers whose insurance premiums are less than NT$23,100 per year are to receive subsidies of NT$10,000 each from a pool of NT$4.2 billion, funds that are expected to benefit 410,000 people, the Executive Yuan said.
Photo: CNA
The definition of a short-term part-time worker has been expanded to include short-term substitutes or substitutes paid an hourly wage, it said.
Students at vocational schools whose have their private-sector cooperation contracts suspended due to the pandemic are also to receive subsidies, the Executive Yuan said.
Families with a member who has died from COVID-19 are to receive NT$100,000 each, it said.
As of yesterday, the nation had reported 605 deaths from the virus.
The stimulus program is to establish a new subsidy for vehicle rental agencies to cover pandemic-related expenditure from last month to May next year, the Executive Yuan said, adding that rental firms are to benefit from a 50 percent reduction in fuel taxes from next month to Sept. 30.
People who are affected by the pandemic and are forced to take loans to pay for insurance would be granted reduced interest rates, it said.
People who face loan repayment difficulties because of the level 3 COVID-19 alert can apply to delay payments for up to six months, with interest and late fees voided, it said.
The Executive Yuan is increasing funds for innovative entrepreneurship and credit guarantee schemes, it said.
The program is to provide subsidies to private cram schools, certification centers and kindergartens for loans they take during the alert period, it said.
Performance troupes and companies facing hardship can apply for loans of up to NT$6 million, with subsidies covering interest rates, it said, adding that up to 1,000 groups would benefit.
The 27,000 people with permanent residency in Taiwan are eligible for relief subsidies, it said.
It is scaling back electricity prices for last month through next month by up to 30 percent, which would apply to the service sector and agriculture users, or about 750,000 customers, it said.
About 10 million average residential users are expected to benefit from a decision to forgo implementing summer electricity rates this month, it said.
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