Hsinchu City hands out NT$5,000 cash to boost local consumption

Taipei, Jan. 24 (CNA) The Hsinchu City government on Saturday began distributing a one-off NT$5,000 (US$159) cash payment to Taiwanese nationals who are residents registered in the city as part of efforts to boost local consumption.

To facilitate collection, the handout was distributed at 361 designated locations across the city from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Speaking to reporters, Mayor Kao Hung-an (高虹安) said about NT$1.925 billion in cash was prepared for Saturday's distribution, with around 2,000 personnel mobilized across city agencies, adding that preparatory work began a day earlier.

Kao also said that by midday, order was maintained at all locations and the distribution process was running smoothly.

Chang Sheng-hsiung (張勝雄), chief of the investigation section at Hsinchu City Police Bureau's First Precinct, said officers had been deployed to patrol the handout sites, with no disputes reported at any of the locations.

Bureau Director-General Chen Yuan-hui (陳元輝) said officers also used the opportunity to raise awareness of fraud prevention at the sites as part of efforts to curb potential criminal activity.

According to the city government, the NT$5,000 handout is limited to Hsinchu residents who are also Republic of China (Taiwan) citizens.

Those eligible who missed Saturday's distribution can apply digitally through the "Hsinchu Pass" app starting Jan. 30 and receive an additional NT$100 bonus.

For in-person collection, residents can still pick up the cash at local district offices from March 10 to March 31, which will be the final opportunity to claim the payment.