Cash distributions at festive events a form of local welfare assistance

Response to parliamentary questions on cash distributions at festive events by People’s Association and Grassroots Organisations

Written PQ 4890. Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) for each year from 2020 to 2022, what is the total amount of cash distributed at festive events organised by the People’s Association and its grassroots organisations; (b) what is the total number of cash recipients; (c) whether all the recipients are means tested and, if so, what are the criteria; (d) how are the recipients selected; and (e) whether the grassroots advisers personally distributed this cash to the recipients.

1. Grassroots Organisations (GROs) assist in the administration of the Government’s financial schemes to support residents.
2. In addition, GROs often also initiate their own local welfare assistance schemes to provide targeted assistance to their residents having regard to the specific needs of their local demographic, which they assess. These local schemes complement the national schemes. There is a wide range of schemes, aimed at a variety of different segments of society who need assistance.
3. The above schemes would have different qualifying criteria and also apply differently depending on the design of the scheme. In addition, the distributions may sometimes be made during festive occasions, but often also during non-festive occasions.
4. The modality of the distribution, as with other features of the scheme, is left to the discretion of the local GROs to decide.