Workers in HCM City’s District 10 receive food and essential items from local authorities. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vũ

HCM CITY — HCM City will provide VNĐ1.5 million (US$65.5) each to 3-4 million workers' families facing difficulties because of the pandemic as part of a new support package worth nearly VNĐ2.6 trillion ($112.3 million).

This amount is in addition to a previous package of VNĐ900 billion ($39.2 million) that was targeted for poor and near-poor households, poor workers, and self-employed workers’ families. 

The two support packages will be disbursed by August 30.

According to Phạm Đức Hải, deputy head of the city’s Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the city has about 53,000 poor and near-poor households with 170,000 people.

The number of people with reduced or no income in the city, however, has risen significantly. People with stable incomes have had to suspend work, take unpaid leave, or have lost jobs. 

The beneficiaries of the support packages will be extended to include these people.

If people in need of support have already received a social welfare package of food and essential items worth VNĐ300,000 ($13) each from local authorities, they will get VNĐ1.2 million ($52.5) in cash from the  support package.

Both permanent and temporary residents will benefit,  regardless of occupation. Local officials have been told to ensure that money is delivered in time and to the right people, and that no one misses out.

Travel permits

In another matter, Phan Công Bằng, deputy director of the city’s Department of Transport, said the department had issued more detailed guidelines on granting QR Code identification certificates to vehicles.

After receiving dossiers, the department will ensure that the results are returned to individuals and organisations within 24 hours via software or the social network Zalo.

The public has suggested granting travel permits to charity groups to help them easily provide food and essential necessities for people in difficult circumstances.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Lê Mạnh Hà of the city’s Police Department said the city highly appreciated the charity work of individuals and organisations who were offering a helping hand to city authorities. However, the city could not issue travel permits to charity groups as travelling across the city could pose a risk of spreading the coronavirus to the community or even to themselves.

To strictly implement the current “stay-at-home” order, he said that charity groups should transfer their gifts to local authorities instead of handing them over directly.

Hà said that vehicles transporting oxygen cylinders, medicines, medical supplies and equipment would be allowed to pass checkpoints without a travel permit if the drivers show business registration licences or a document on pandemic prevention and control work. 

People going for vaccination and follow-up examination appointments, and for medicine, need to bring their and appointment papers and medical information to go through checkpoints. They do not need a travel permit.

The city has seen a 90 per cent reduction in traffic volume since the two-week stay-at-home order period started on August 23. — VNS