Debated in Parliament on 1 Aug 2022.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what percentage of Singaporean households have claimed their Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers in the recent May 2022 distribution exercise; (b) what is the total value of vouchers redeemed to-date; and (c) whether the Government has conducted any studies on the utilisation of the CDC vouchers, so that targeted measures can be designed to benefit specific businesses or segments of Singaporeans.
Following the launch of the $130 million CDC Vouchers Scheme 2021 in December 2021, the CDCs rolled out another tranche under the CDC Vouchers Scheme 2022, on 11 May 2022 to support 1.22 million Singaporean households in their daily expenses.
As of 19 July 2022, or more than two months since the launch, 86.8% or 1.06 million Singaporean households have claimed the 2022 CDC Vouchers with about $62 million spent in over 17,700 participating hawkers and heartland merchants.
In total, more than $163 million has been spent with the 2021 and 2022 CDC Vouchers. Of this amount, $27 million or 16.6% of the vouchers was spent in 2,800 stalls in 677 coffee shops. We are encouraged by the positive feedback received on the Scheme from Singaporeans, many of whom found the CDC Vouchers easy to use.
Apart from supporting Singaporeans in their daily expenses, the CDC Vouchers also help boost businesses for heartland merchants and hawkers. Of the more than 17,700 participating hawkers and merchants onboard the Scheme, one in six stalls are in coffee shops. The CDCs will continue to onboard more heartland merchants and hawkers so that more people and businesses can continue to benefit from the CDC Vouchers Scheme.
PAPERCUTS