XN000022-1980-06-15 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 1980

$2.9 MILLION PAID OUT AS EMERGENCY RELIEF

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OVER $2.9 MILLION FROM THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND WAS PAID OUT TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED DURING THE YEAR 1978-79, ACCORDING TO THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FUND JUST PUBLISHED.

THIS WAS MORE THAN FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT OF RELIEF PAYMENTS MADE IN 1977-78, WHICH TOTALLED ONLY $720 000 BECAUSE NO SIGNIFICANT NATURAL DISASTER OCCURRED THAT YEAR.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY MOST OF THE GRANT RECIPIENTS LAST YEAR WERE FIRE AND TYPHOON VICTIMS.

ABOUT $1.5 MILLION WAS PAID OUT AS RE-ACCOMMODATION AND RE-EQUIPMENT GRANTS WHICH ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 51 PER CENT OF THE YEAR'S PAYMENT, WHILE AGRICULTURE GRANTS TOTALLED $1.3 MILLION.

IN THE SAME YEAR, HE SAID, THE FUND RECEIVED $3 017 701 IN REVENUE, COMPRISING $3 MILLION FROM GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND THE REST FROM PUBLIC DONATIONS AND INTEREST.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE FUND WAS SET UP TO PROVIDE GRANTS AND LOANS FOR PEOPLE IN NEED OF RELIEF AS A RESULT OF FIRE, FLOODING, TYPHOON OR OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS.

+GRANTS FROM THE FUND ARE AVAILABLE FOR DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY, DOMESTIC RE-ACCOMMODATION AND RE-EQUIPMENT EXPENSES REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF VESSELS, AGRICULTURAL LOSS AND SPECIAL CASES, HE SAID.

THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR APPROVING GRANTS AND MAKING PAYMENTS IS, IN MOST CASES, VESTED IN OFFICERS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE, HOUSING, HOME AFFAIRS, MARINE, AND AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENTS.

THE FUND WAS INTRODUCED IN 1962 AS THE COMMUNITY RELIEF TRUST FUND AND WAS RENAMED IN 1973.

THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE.

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