SINGAPORE: Housing and Improvement Board (HDB) espresso outlets can now resolve whether or not or to not provide finances meals in alternate for rental or Short-term Occupation Licence (TOL) payment reductions, the board mentioned on Saturday (Jan 10), following operators’ and stallholders’ considerations over rising prices and low take-up charges, and residents’ suggestions on uneven high quality and portion sizes.
With the change, present rental espresso outlets are now not required to offer finances meals at tenancy renewal. Privately owned HDB espresso outlets may choose out of providing finances meals.
As well as, HDB standardised the variety of meal choices to a few, down from two to 6 finances meal choices beforehand: an economic system rice possibility, a halal possibility and a breakfast merchandise, whereas the requirement to supply two finances drinks stays the identical.
The finances meal initiative was first launched in 2018 at new HDB espresso outlets tendered underneath the Value-High quality Technique (PQM) framework. It was later prolonged to all HDB rental espresso outlets renewing their tenancies in Could 2023 after which to privately owned HDB espresso outlets bought on the open market from December 2023.
As of Dec 31 final yr, 350 HDB rental espresso outlets and 48 privately owned HDB espresso outlets have been offering finances meals. /TISG
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