Ho Chi Minh City authorities will provide free train and bus tickets as well as gifts for workers and students to go home for Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.

The HCM City Labour Union has prepared 35,000 free bus tickets for workers, said a representative of the union at a working session between the municipal People’s Council and relevant departments and agencies.

Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s municipal chapter has had 6,000 bus tickets and 1,200 train tickets available for workers and students.

To date, as many as 42,200 train and bus tickets and over 600,000 gifts, worth at least 500,000 VND each, have been mobilised for the needy. 

According to the municipal Labour Union, a wide range of programmes will be organised for those who will not be able to return home on the new year occasion.

Particularly, “Tet Gatherings” programme will be held at the Suoi Tien historical – cultural tourism site on January 25, 2017.

Budget for policy beneficiaries, people who rendered service to the nation, poor people and disadvantaged civil servants in the Lunar New Year 2017 is 661 billion VND (29.03 million USD), an increase of 10 percent against 2016, said leaders of the municipal Department of Labours, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Regarding Tet bonuses, as many as 300 businesses have reported their bonuses so far with an average of 8.3 million VND (364.6 USD) per person, said Nguyen Minh Tan, Director of the department.

Truong Ngoc Anh, Vice Chairwoman of the local People’s Committee, applauded efforts of departments and agencies in preparing programmes for locals to enjoy Tet holiday and suggested providing more care for near-poor households, disadvantaged children and those living in social sponsoring centres.

VNA