| |
SINGAPORE : More than 780,000 eligible HDB households will receive S$134 million worth utility rebates over the fiscal year 2008, with the first tranche of the rebates to be given out in July.
1-room and 2-room households will get S$220 worth of rebates, which is equivalent to as much as 30 per cent of their average utility bill. 3-room and 4-room households will receive S$200 and S$190 worth of rebates respectively.
The rebates are part of the S$4 billion GST Offset Package announced in Budget 2007 to help Singaporeans, especially low and middle-income households, adjust to the GST increase in July last year.
The U-Save rebates will cost the government S$550 million over five years (FY 2007 to FY 2011).
The Ministry of Finance said the rebates, along with the January 2008 rebates, are more than sufficient to cover tariff increases in the course of this year.
The second tranche of utility rebates will be disbursed in January next year. - CNA/ls
|
