The legislature yesterday passed a NT$27 billion (US$858.92 million) special budget with no dissenters to rebuild parts of Hualien County battered by flooding in September from a breach of a barrier lake on the Mataian River in Hualien County.
The budget cleared the legislature with the initially proposed NT$27 billion in funding from 2025 to 2030 intact. There is a NT$3 billion reserve on top of that permitted under the NT$30 billion ceiling set by a special reconstruction act approved by the legislature on Oct. 31.
The Sept. 23 flooding, triggered as Typhoon Ragasa’s outer bands passed over the region, inundated parts of Guangfu Township (光復) and nearby areas.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
The special act was designed to fast-track long-term recovery, with NT$19.2 billion earmarked for economic development; NT$5.6 billion for community development and environmental protection; NT$1.5 billion for contingency funding; and NT$600 million for general administration.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs said that NT$8.5 billion would go to water resource and river management projects, with a focus on dredging and clearing debris in the short term to improve drainage.
Long-term plans include building fortified levees capable of withstanding debris flows, the ministry said.
Other major projects include repairing damaged bridges; reinforcing slopes; rebuilding agricultural and public infrastructure; supporting temporary housing; and reinforcing the power grid, it said.
Funding for special budgets is to be raised through government borrowing.
Lawmakers also approved supplementary resolutions.
One, proposed by Taiwan People’s Party lawmakers, requires Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) to deliver a special report to the legislature within two months on issues such as barrier-dam safety, upstream sediment removal, river-basin treatment plans and funds use.
A joint committee meeting completed a preliminary review of the budget on Nov. 19, while cross-party negotiations chaired by Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) on Wednesday last week cleared the way for the bill’s final passage yesterday.
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