Applications for second round of subsidy scheme for promotion of contactless payment in Housing Authority markets open tomorrow

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
 
     The Government announced earlier that it would launch the second round of the subsidy scheme for promotion of contactless payment in public markets under the Anti-epidemic Fund. Applications will start from tomorrow (April 30). Stall tenants of markets and cooked food stalls under the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), who did not receive the subsidy under the first round of the subsidy scheme are encouraged to apply.
 
     "Similar to the first round of the scheme, a one-off subsidy at a flat rate of $5,000 per stall will be provided to the stall tenants so as to encourage them to use contactless payment as an anti-epidemic measure to safeguard public health. It is expected that the second round of the subsidy scheme will benefit about 1 100 market and cooked food stall tenants under the HA," a spokesman for the HA said today (April 29).
 
     "The subsidy may be used to meet the initial set-up costs as well as service and other fees including transaction fees in relation to the provision of at least one contactless payment means, which is processed through a licensed bank or a stored value facility licensee regulated by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, or a debit/credit card scheme, for patrons," the spokesman said.
 
     The applicant is required to produce a valid service contract of no less than a duration of two years signed by him/her, and confirm that the necessary installation has been completed to enable a designated means of contactless payment at his/her stall before the subsidy will be disbursed to him/her. He/she needs to submit an application and obtain an approval in principle from the HA before signing a designated service contract with a service provider.
 
     "Before disbursing the subsidy, staff of the Housing Department will inspect the stalls under application to check if the installations for contactless payment have been completed," the spokesman said.
 
      The HA will issue a letter to individual stall tenants of its markets and cooked food stalls inviting them to join the scheme. Interested stall tenants may submit the applications to the respective estate offices on or before June 30. For enquiries, they may contact their respective estate offices.