Over a million Singaporean households have claimed CDC vouchers, over $28m spent
More than one million Singaporean households have claimed their $100 community development council (CDC) vouchers within the first month of launch, with over $28 million redeemed so far.
The $130 million scheme was rolled out on Dec 13 to defray daily expenses and support heartland shops and hawkers hit by the pandemic.
Checking which businesses accept the vouchers has been made easier, with an announcement on Sunday (Jan 9) of the addition of an interactive map on the CDC Vouchers Merchants Go Where website.
The current search function is based on postal code and street name.
More than 12,500 hawkers and heartland merchants are on the scheme, with over 90 per cent of them having logged at least one voucher transaction, said Ms Low Yen Ling, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Trade and Industry.
"We are greatly heartened that Singaporeans are rallying behind and supporting our heartland hawkers and merchants by spending over $28 million worth of vouchers to date," she added.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced this third update to the scheme at Budget 2021 as part of a $900 million Household Support Package.
The CDC voucher scheme was launched in June 2020 to help up to 400,000 lower-income families, with a second tranche for them announced in January last year.
The latest vouchers are worth $130 million in all and given out to 1.3 million Singaporean households.
To claim the vouchers which can be used till Dec 31 this year, one Singaporean member of the household can visit an online link that requires the use of Singpass to receive a link on the person's registered mobile number.
This link can be shared via messaging apps with household members, who can use the vouchers that come in denominations of $2, $5 and $10.
Usage entails clicking on the link to select the amount to be used and show the QR code to the merchant, who will scan it using a RedeemSG Merchant app.
Those using hard copy vouchers have to show the QR code on the voucher for scanning.
Mr Chris Liang, 27, a second-generation hawker who just took over his family's seafood business, is optimistic that the voucher scheme will boost sales.
"Having to deal with fresh seafood and other wet items, it was inconvenient for me to receive physical vouchers. We can now easily scan the digital vouchers... and receive the payout the next day," he said.
"I am also happy to find my store on CDC Vouchers Merchants Go Where. Hopefully, it will bring me more customers."
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