Hechi takes measures to support enterprises, migrant workers

The leading group for Hechi's novel coronavirus epidemic prevention and control efforts held an online press conference on Feb 22 to introduce the city's measures and supportive policies to help the work resumption of enterprises, as well as the employment of migrant workers in the city.

A series of measures and supportive policies had been issued by the city government on Feb 20 to ensure that all the enterprises in Hechi, except those in Du'an Yao autonomous county, resume operation by the end of February, and to promote their sound development.

Firstly, the city will ease the tax burden on businesses. For pharmaceutical enterprises, their taxes will be cut at 75 percent of the actual amount incurred in their research and development for the epidemic prevention and control efforts.

Enterprises that manufacture epidemic prevention and control materials will be exempted from the local share of the enterprise income tax.

Secondly, the city will reduce the corporate financing costs. The Hechi branch of the People's Bank of China will arrange a rediscount line of 300 million yuan ($42.67 million) for the re-loan to ensure that the credit balance of enterprises in 2020 is not lower than that of the same period of 2019.

Thirdly, the Hechi city government will give a one-time reward of 300,000 yuan for newly established enterprises above designated size or those included in the city's statistics department in 2020. Enterprises above designated size refer to those with annual sales revenue of more than 20 million yuan.

A one-time reward of 200,000 yuan will be awarded to small and micro businesses in Hechi which are upgraded to enterprises above designated size for the first time.

Liquor-making enterprises in Hechi that pay taxes in the city and their tax payments increase by over 10 million yuan over the previous year can receive a reward that is equal to 3 percent of their tax payment, while 5 percent for other enterprises.

According to Liu Yongxiong, deputy director of the industry and information technology bureau of Hechi, there were 141 enterprises above designated size in Hechi resuming their work by Feb 22, a resumption rate of 63.8 percent.

In addition, Hechi also took measures to help migrant workers find employment or return to work.

More than 20,000 jobs for over 170 enterprises were published on the Hechi Talent Network by Feb 22, according to Mo Xiaoming, head of the human resources and social security bureau of Hechi.

Temporary posts for sanitation, disinfection, temperature measurement, patrol work, and being on-duty at checkout points were set up for impoverished people in Hechi.

Chartered buses were also arranged to send migrant workers back to work, added Mo. On Feb 20 and 21, Hechi sent 150 workers to Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

For people who were confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus, Hechi will offer a subsidy of 1,000 yuan per month, said Mo. For market entities founded by eligible migrant workers, a one-time start-up subsidy of 3,000 yuan to 10,000 yuan will be granted to each household.

Impoverished people who gain stable employment in Hechi from February to June can be provided with a monthly subsidy of at least 200 yuan, as well as 100 yuan for epidemic prevention and control.