[Pic Credit: Wikipedia]
Strong response to Public Transport Voucher exercise
According to the Straits Times news report “‘Strong response’ to Public Transport Voucher scheme with more than 125,000 applications” (Apr 9) – “This year’s Public Transport Voucher exercise has seen a “strong response” from needy residents, the Ministry of Transport said on Wednesday.
As of March 31 there had been more than 125,000 applications for the 250,000 $30 vouchers available.”
“Jigsaw puzzle” of transport vouchers?
According to a Straits Times news report on 10 March last year – “Only about half of the 200,000 vouchers available in 2011 were taken up.”
But, if you read the news report of the reply in Parliament on 3 March this year, it says that “A total of 250,000 public transport vouchers worth S$30 each were given to needy families last year and this year. In 2011, 200,000 of such vouchers worth S$20 each were made available”.
So, the title of the above news report may be misleading as it was titled “250,000 public transport vouchers given to needy families” – when actually “only about half of the vouchers available in 2011 were taken up”.
Why can’t we get straight forward answers to questions in Parliament?
The fact is that around this time last year – only 79,000 had applied for the 250,000 vouchers available compared to 125,000 this year.
More needy families?
So, is it an indication that there may be many more needy families now?
So complicated to apply for $30?
Why give just $30 per household and then allow multiple applications from the same household later in the year when they have “used up” the $30 voucher? In the past, multiple applications were not allowed.
This will only inconvenience the needy in having to make multiple trips to community centres to apply. Previously, it was even worse as one would have to make 2 trips – one to apply and one to collect.
Why do we make giving a miserable $30 transport voucher to the needy so cumbersome?
Transparency please?
Is this why so many of the “available” vouchers in the previous years were not taken up?
Finally, can we have a straight forward answer now as to exactly how many of the “available” vouchers were taken up on a year to year basis, since they were introduced?
By the way, I have been googling like mad – and am still unable to find what exactly is the criteria to get the $30 public transport voucher?
Win battles lose war
TRS Contributor