Hean Rangsey
The government has called on poor families to apply to commune authorities for evaluation to receive financial support during the Covid-19 crisis. A $300 million budget has been planned for implementation within a year.
Ministry of Economy and Finance secretary of state Vongsey Visoth said this on Wednesday at a press conference on measures to promote economic growth and cash subsidies for poor and vulnerable families.
Visoth said the government has budgeted $1.164 billion to assist with the social impact of the disease and help the private sector. Out of the total, $564 million was spent through mechanisms as interventions.
The remaining $600 million was spent on business recovery through the provision of credit or credit guarantees for private-sector loans. The amount does not include any deductions for taxes.
Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation secretary of state Samheng Boros said in the 14 days from the date the grant was announced on June 24, the government has subsidised 90 per cent of poor families, or 500,000 out of more than 560,000.
“The people remaining from the first phase should get their subsidy money before July 24. Poor families who have already received their money please collect your second phase money from July 25 until August 24. This is the government’s second aid to poor families.
“The subsidy funding has not ended in the first phase yet. In the current situation, we believe there may be an additional 30,000 to 40,000 families that enter the cash subsidy programme in the second round,” he said.
Visoth said Cambodia’s situation is well under control compared to some other countries.
“There are three factors that have given us a controlled situation. The first is the leadership of our Prime Minister, Samdech Techo [Hun Sen], who is leading the fight against Covid-19.
“The second is the policies and measures that we have carefully considered and are flexible in, according to the context. The third factor is the people’s participation in compliance with the government’s guidelines,” he said.
