•

To ensure that basic healthcare remains affordable for all Singaporeans, MOH will set aside $1.4 billion of subsidies for Singaporeans at public healthcare institutions (such as polyclinics and public hospitals) and VWO-run institutions (such as nursing homes and community hospitals).

•

To help elderly Singaporeans with healthcare needs, the Government will top up the Medisave Accounts of Singaporeans aged 50 and above, by $240 million, with more for those who are older and live in smaller properties. The Government will also top up the Medifund and Eldercare Fund by $100 million each.

•

Singaporeans must adopt a healthy lifestyle and detect health problems early to have the best chance at living a healthy life. To encourage Singaporeans to do so, MOH will commit $85 million to initiatives such as the National Healthy Lifestyle Programme, National Smoking Control Programme, School Health Programme and National Cancer Screening Programme for Women.

•

To ensure that the healthcare delivery system can respond swiftly to emergency health situations such as influenza pandemic, bioterrorism and mass casualty events, MOH will set aside $50 million to upgrade its emergency preparedness capability. MOH will also continue to co-operate and collaborate with international and regional bodies in the fight against emerging infectious diseases.

•

MCYS will set aside $82 million for social assistance, institutional care, and intervention programmes for children from families at risk. The Government will top up the ComCare Fund by $100 million to expand its outreach to needy low income families. An additional $3 million will be set aside for the ComCare Enterprise Fund to provide seed funding to start sustainable social enterprises which are focused on helping needy Singaporeans.

•

For the disabled, $26 million will be earmarked for services to assist persons with disabilities. These include childcare centres offering integrated childcare programmes for children aged 2-6 years, Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children Centres for young children aged 0-6, as well as residential homes and sheltered workshops for adults. Another $11 million will be set aside for the development of facilities.

•

To help older Singaporeans enhance their financial security in retirement, the Government will top up the CPF Special or Retirement Accounts of Singaporeans aged 50 and above by $240 million, with more for those who are older and less well-off.

•

To help lower-income households cope with living expenses, the Government will extend the Utilities-Save rebates scheme by another year. This will cost the Government $60 million.

•

The Government will be putting in place a package of Workfare measures costing $1 billion over 2 years to help low-wage workers so that they can move ahead through their own efforts and their children are able to fulfill their potential. The Workfare package consists of the Workfare Bonus and the new CPF housing grant for low-income first-timer citizen households, programmes to expand job opportunities and promote higher skills for better jobs, the new WorkSupport programme to provide childcare and studentcare assistance, case management and training grants, and greater investment in the education for children of low wage workers.

•

To promote lifelong learning as the new mindset and a way of life, the Government will top up the Lifelong Learning Fund by $100 million.

•

MOE has introduced greater flexibility and choice in education to cater to the diverse abilities and interests of our students, in the arts, the sports and in intellectual and professional endeavours. Students are being given more options to pursue subjects and activities that match their interests through our ITEs, polytechnics and universities. A total budget of $6,966 million has been voted to MOE in FY2006.

•

The Government will set up a $50 million Opportunity Fund to provide greater financial support to children from low income families so that they can benefit from enrichment opportunities. $2 million will be set aside from this fund for self-help groups to match with donations from their community, so that they can set up their own Opportunity Funds.

•

The People’s Association will set aside $245 million to promote racial harmony and social cohesion. The Community Development Councils and grassroots organisations will focus on widening community outreach, promoting family life, engaging youths, preparing the community for an ageing population, bonding through sports, and building up emergency response capability.

•

Youths can look forward to more support to initiate and pursue community projects, including a first-stop advisory service to start community activities, and more spaces and platforms to organise activities and showcase their talents.

•

To promote ethnic traditions, culture and heritage, MCYS will set aside $3 million over 2 years to co-fund certain activities of community heritage organisations such as clan associations.

•

MICA/NHB will allocate $80 million to broaden and deepen Singaporeans’ heritage through initiatives such as the re-opening of the National Museum of Singapore at Stamford Road to become a landmark destination for all Singaporeans and international visitors, the conversion of the City Hall and Supreme Court into the National Art Gallery.

•

To provide more support for families, MCYS will set up a National Family Council led by the people sector to strengthen and support the family institution. The Council will take on policy advisory, as well as public education and consultation roles. On the private sector front, more businesses will be encouraged to adopt pro-family business initiatives to attract locals and tourists.

•

To support the increasing number of caregivers looking after the needs of the disabled, the elderly, the sick and mentally ill, a Caregiver Centre will be established to serve as the lead agency in consolidating research on caregivers and developing more support programmes to complement the existing range of eldercare services in the community.

•

MCYS will set aside $66.5 million to encourage Singaporeans to engage in sports regularly through partnership promotions, public education, and the promotion of team spirit, teamwork and national pride through Team Singapore. MCYS will allocate another $40 million for the promotion of sports excellence through structured support schemes to raise the standard of our national athletes and coaches, development and enhancement of the operational capabilities of National Sports Associations, and sports science and medicine to ensure the well-being of our national athletes.

•

MND/NParks will invest $106 million towards maintaining a “City in the Garden” environment and promoting community participation to bring about greater ownership of our Garden City. $55 million will also be set aside to develop new parks and park connectors and redevelop existing parks, as well as the preliminary works for Gardens by the Bay and redevelopment projects in Singapore Botanic Gardens.

•

MEWR/PUB taking the lead with an $8 million project to remake our waterways, reservoirs and parks into aesthetically pleasing, vibrant and exciting lifestyle attractions for everyone to enjoy.

•

MND/HDB will continue to rejuvenate older housing estates through various estate renewal programmes like the Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) and Interim Upgrading Programme (IUP) and Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP). This is estimated to cost about $369 million.

•

A further $323 million is budgeted towards public housing subsidy to help Singaporeans own their own homes.

•

MEWR/NEA have budgeted $198 million to keep public areas free of litter and ensure a high standard of environmental public health and a low incidence of vector and food borne diseases. These objectives are met by programmes such as improved vector surveillance and control strategies, promoting community participation, upgrading infrastructure and investing in R&D.

•

The Government will distribute $1.4 billion of Growth Dividends on 1 May 2006 to adult citizens, with more for Singaporeans who are in the lower income and lower middle income groups.