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SINGAPORE: More than 300,000 public transportation vouchers worth more than S $ 15 million have been disbursed to low-income households, the Ministry of Transportation (MOT) and the People’s Association (PA) said on Friday (December 18) .
Each public transport voucher has a value of S $ 50 and can be used to top up fare cards or purchase monthly concession passes.
The coupons were issued as part of the 2019 extended public transport coupon exercise since its inception on November 11 last year, MOT and PA said in a press release.
This includes the first tranche of public transport vouchers that were disbursed directly to low-income households under the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) ComCare short- and medium-term assistance and long-term assistance plans.
Eligible households can continue to apply for public transportation vouchers until January 31, and all disbursed vouchers must be redeemed by June 30 of the next year.
Households are eligible if their monthly household income from all sources per person does not exceed S $ 1,200.
READ: No Changes to Bus and Train Fares Due to COVID-19 Recession: Public Transportation Council
Household income from all sources refers to regular income from employment and business, as well as income from investments, rentals, and other sources, such as pensions and cash contributions from relatives who do not live in the same household. It also includes regular government transfers as a supplement to earned income.
Eligible households that have not yet applied are encouraged to apply to their local community centers or clubs before the deadline.
The statement added that Citizen Advisory Committees will also evaluate and assist deserving cases that marginally lose eligibility criteria or provide additional public transportation vouchers to households that may need more assistance.
Approximately 30,000 low-income households under MSF ComCare’s short- and medium-term assistance and long-term assistance schemes would automatically qualify for the vouchers and receive a redemption letter directly by post. They will need both the letter and your NRIC for the exchange.
This will support low-income households that have been hit hardest by the economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The public transport voucher letters will be disbursed in two tranches. The first disbursement was made in mid-December, which is for ComCare recipients receiving short- to medium-term assistance or long-term assistance as of August 31 of this year.
The second tranche will be disbursed progressively from mid-March next year. This will benefit ComCare recipients who were not part of the first tranche and will receive short- or medium-term assistance or long-term assistance on January 31 of the next year.
