COVID-19: MOTC secures NT$22bn to support transportation, tourism
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By Shelley Shan / Workers reporter
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has secured NT$22.397 billion (US$808.44 million) from the Executive Yuan’s COVID-19 distinctive relief funding for the transportation and tourism industries, which have been severely influenced by rigorous disease prevention actions, it reported yesterday.
The funding was about NT$400 million considerably less than the ministry experienced initially asked for, it said.
Unlike last year, when constraints executed by the Central Epidemic Command Heart primarily affected outbound tourism and transportation operators, new steps have right afflicted the domestic industry throughout the board, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) informed an on the net news conference.
Image: CNA
“As much as we would like to request much more funding to rescue the transportation and tourism industries, there are just too a lot of other industries that desperately have to have dollars to get by this hard time,” Wang explained, incorporating that all companies obtained considerably less funding than they requested.
The aid cash would largely be made use of to subsidize the operations of transportation and tourism enterprises from very last thirty day period to following month and cover aspect of staff salaries in excess of the period, Wang mentioned, adding that the ministry hopes the local COVID-19 situation would improve in August as much more individuals are vaccinated.
Of the NT$22.397 billion budgeted to assist transportation and tourism operators, NT$10.046 billion would be applied to subsidize vacation businesses, hoteliers and amusement park operators who have knowledgeable a decline in enterprise of at minimum 50 % when compared with the very same time past 12 months, with each individual employee obtaining a one particular-time payment of NT$40,000, the ministry claimed.
Bed and breakfast operators who have lost 50 per cent or far more of business due to a nationwide stage 3 COVID-19 inform would every single obtain NT$50,000, it included.
Tour guides and tour group supervisors who were used to guideline or lead groups when the Tourism Bureau was marketing ailment avoidance tours would receive a just one-time subsidy of NT$30,000 for each person.
Journey companies that have suspended domestic excursions would receive no additional than NT$10,000 for every single canceled tour team, when amusement park operators who sustained losses because of to cancelations from group visits would obtain NT$200 for every customer.
The resources would help 17,342 personnel in the tourism sector, Tourism Bureau Director-Common Chang Hsi-chung (張錫聰) mentioned, introducing that the subsidies to 3,128 tour guides and tour team supervisors would be wired to their bank accounts currently.
The ministry claimed it would acceptable NT$4.277 billion to help land transport operators and motorists temperature the results of the outbreak. Taxi and tour bus drivers would get a a single-time payment of NT$30,000 per person.
Tour bus firms, as properly as operators of ailment avoidance taxi fleets and drivers’ educational facilities, would get subsidies to sustain their operations, and to purchases disinfectants and other disorder avoidance goods, the ministry mentioned.
Directorate-Standard of Highways Director-Standard Hsu Cheng-chang (許鉦漳) mentioned that 88,835 drivers qualify for subsides, and the agency would wire the cash to 79,567 drivers tomorrow or on Monday next week.
An additional 9,299 motorists would gather subsides from the Bureau of Labor Insurance plan, he additional.
The ministry would allocate NT$8.074 billion for air transportation operators, it claimed, adding that NT$4.764 billion would be used to subsidize airways for landing service fees, use of airport facilities and other royalties.
Subsidies for airport condition prevention taxi fleets would go on by way of June 30 next 12 months.
Staff members at obligation-cost-free retailers, and ground-dealing with and air catering solutions would be eligible for salary subsidies of NT$20,000 for every month for no additional than 6 months, the ministry stated.
Economical support to sea transportation operators and railway companies would come from a funds allocated to the ministry, relatively than from unique aid resources, Wang stated.
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