The Executive Yuan today approved a special budget of NT$56 billion for Typhoon Danas recovery, which is to be discussed in the legislature.
The special spending plan would be used to support hard-hit areas, including Tainan, Kaohsiung, Chiayi, Pingtung County, Taitung County, Changhua County, Yunlin County and Nantou County, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said.
Cho yesterday met with Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) in hopes of gaining the legislature’s approval so that people can rebuild their homes as soon as possible, the Cabinet said.
Photo courtesy of a member of the public
Han has promised to prioritize the special act on the legislature’s agenda, Cho said.
The Cabinet would propose a special budget once the act passes its third reading, he said.
The disaster relief budget under the current regulations of the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act (災害防救法) is not enough as the situation is getting worse, Cho was quoted as saying by Executive Yuan spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) at a news briefing in Taipei today.
The special budget would be planned in phases, with the source of funding coming from annual surplus or borrowing, the Cabinet said.
The nine recovery and reconstruction projects include agricultural facility, electricity system, telecommunication and cable TV system, water and gas system, public facility, irrigation facility, road and traffic, environment hygiene, social recovery and industry promotion, according to the bill.
The act would be supervised by the Executive Yuan’s Public Construction Commission.
The special budget would be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Culture, the National Communications Commission, the Council of Indigenous Peoples and local governments.
The act would take effect until the end of 2027 after it is promulgated and could be extended with the approval of the legislature, according to the bill.
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