HCMC proposes $15 mln Covid aid package for informal workers

By Le Tuyet June 23, 2021 | 02:14 am PT

A scrap collector on the streets of HCMC. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Nga.

The HCMC labor department proposed aiding 230,000 informal workers including street vendors, porters and trash collectors who lost their income due to the pandemic VND345 billion ($15 million).

Those eligible to receive the aid also include goods transporters, those working at food and beverage places, accommodation services, tourism and healthcare facilities, those working at sites which had to be suspended due to coronavirus restrictions like entertainment venues, museums and parks.

Le Minh Tan, director of the municipal Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, on Tuesday said the propsal has been submitted to the municpal People's Committee. If approved, each person would receive around VND1.5 million in July, derived from the national budget and the Covid-19 prevention fund.

Previously, the department also presented to the municipal People's Committee an aid package worth over VND1 trillion for around 310,000 laborers affected by the pandemic.

For the past two months, Vietnam's latest Covid wave has seen 10,575 infections recorded in 43 cities and provinces. The most severely hit are Bac Giang with 5,498 cases and HCMC with 2,013.

HCMC entered social distancing on May 31 and has suspended many activities and non-essential services to curb the spread of the pandemic.