XN000022-1995-11-08 — Page 60

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Assistance for NT residents affected by flooding

Following is a question by the Hon Cheung Hon-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Residents of northern and north-western New Territories are constantly plagued by the problem of flooding, which always occurs at times of torrential downpour. Such flooding causes destruction to residential homes and crops, resulting in financial losses to residents and farmers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether the Government provides any financial assistance to affected farmer households after each flooding; if so, through what channels can they obtain assistance and what is the amount of financial assistance given to each household; and

(b) whether there are any special arrangements and measures to assist residents affected by flooding in resolving their housing problem?

Reply:

(a) For full-time subsistence farmers adversely affected by natural disasters such as floods, grants are made available from the Emergency Relief Fund to alleviate any consequential financial hardship. These grants are given to assist farmers to repair the damage and resume production. They are made in accordance with a payment schedule which is revised from time to time to reflect increases in prices and wages. Currently, an eligible farmer can be provided with a grant of up to $4.680 for the rehabilitation of a farm and a grant of up to $9,110 for rebuilding a stock house or farm building destroyed or severely damaged by flooding. In addition, a farmer may apply for a low-interest agricultural loan of up to $50,000 as working or development capital for resuming farm production.

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