Press Releases
Government continues to identify new resources to improve welfare services
A Health, Welfare and Food Bureau spokesman today (November 30) reiterated that the Government recognised the difficulties faced by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and would continue to identify new resources to improve welfare services.
"In coming up with the efficiency savings for 2005-06, we have carefully taken into consideration the concerns of the welfare sector as well as the financial position of various areas under our policy portfolios," the spokesman said.
"Our plan is already very lenient. Apart from the proposed across-the-board saving of one per cent, small NGOs with annual recurrent subvention below $3 million are exempted.
"Should individual NGOs have genuine difficulties in meeting the target savings, the Social Welfare Department would assess its situation on an individual basis and render appropriate assistance."
Government subventions to NGOs had increased over the years, from $4.53 billion in 1997-98 to $6.74 billion in the current financial year, an increase of 49%. A total of $678 million was also earmarked for hire of services and another $199 million for extension of temporary jobs under NGOs in the current financial year.
Despite the savings, the spokesman stressed the Government would allocate new resources to further the development of elderly services. This included the allocation of $100 million to convert the subsidised home for the aged places into long term care places by phases, and to implement a trial scheme to provide subsidised infirmary care services for medically stable infirm elders in a non-hospital setting.
The Government would also strive to identify new resources to provide additional community support service for people with disabilities and targetted programmes to tackle domestic violence and family problems, the spokesman said.
Ends/Tuesday, November 30, 2004
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Subventions (excluding hire of services payments) to SWD��s NGOs from 1997-98 to 2004-05 (PDF file, 8KB)