OREANDA-NEWS. December 12, 2012. CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (CLP) announced that the Company will introduce a one-off community care subsidy for targeted grassroots families in its service area in 2013, a move that is expected to alleviate tariff pressure for over ten thousand families across CLP’s service area, reported the press-centre of CLP Power.

The amount of the subsidy is HKD 300 per eligible household. CLP is working closely with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) to identify subsidy recipients and determine how the initiative will be implemented.

 To implement this subsidy, CLP will target low-income families in its service area by referencing the criteria used to determine beneficiaries of “Subsidy for Low-income Persons Who are Inadequately Housed” under the Government’s Community Care Fund.

Managing Director of CLP Power, Mr Richard Lancaster, said in a caring visit to the CLP Hotmeal Canteen in Sham Shui Po to mark its second-year in the running, “The new subsidy is another community care initiative by CLP to help families in need.

“We believe that it is also a significant step in CLP’s community investment plan as it enables us to expand our community support footprint to those low income families, who currently cannot enjoy anything from the social security safety net and other welfare benefits including public housing and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance.

 “Care for Community is one of our key corporate values. Over the past few years we have invested resources in community work to help grassroots families, and we have seen very positive results from initiatives like the Hotmeal Canteen and re-wiring service for the elderly.

“We intend to expand our support to more low-income families and will work with the HKCSS to explore and develop more community programmes to support the underprivileged families in future,” Mr Lancaster added.

The Hotmeal Canteen has benefited 1,200 needy residents and has served some 24,000 hot meals in the first 12 months from the programme’s launch in September 2011. It provides hot, nutritious meals to the needy for a nominal HKD 10 fee, or free of charge to those who cannot afford to pay.

Mr Lancaster said CLP will keep the Hotmeal Canteen running in 2013 while continuing to explore other initiatives that will expand the Company’s community support efforts.

Further details of the one-off subsidy will be announced shortly and the first group of subsidy recipients is expected to be identified in early 2013.