Higher budget estimates for People's Association is to help community bonding: Lim Swee Say

The 2015 budget estimates allocated to The People's Association (PA) reflect a higher level of commitment by the government towards promoting social cohesion and racial harmony, Lim Swee Say, Singapore's Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, said on Monday.

In a written reply to queries over the 51.3 per cent jump in the PA's expenditure estimates to more than S$1 billion for FY2015, Mr Lim said the PA "promotes community bonding in Singapore".

Of the S$339.6 million or 51.3 per cent increase in the estimated Financial Year (FY) 2015 expenditure of the PA, S$239.3 million (70.5 per cent) is for the development of facilities for residents' use.

These include the building of the Tampines Town Hub, construction of nine new community centres (CCs) and two Water-Venture outlets as well as the upgrading of 28 existing CCs under its 15-year upgrading cycle.

Mr Lim added that the increase of S$100.3 million, or 29.5 per cent, in operating expenditure will go into implementing the Pioneer Generation Ambassador programme.