The council will report the details and criteria for qualified recipients of the purchase coupons to the Cabinet for final approval before making a public announcement, although the implementation of the measure is seen to start in March. CEPD officials said the key policy of distributing shopping coupons directly to consumers is a measure aimed at encouraging spending and stem the further slowdown of the economy in the face of global recession.

But they declined to discuss the issue yesterday with the mass media, which have started extensive report and speculation on details of the consumption stimulus program to reflect diverse opinions.

Other Cabinet officials were also mum on the issue, pending the finalization of all relevant details.

The Ministry of the Interior has already been implementing a program to provide financial assistance to people below or on the edge of the poverty line to help them ease the increased financial burden caused by soaring commodity prices and reduced job opportunities.

Citing undisclosed sources, some media reported that the shopping coupon program will be a vastly expanded measure to replace the MOI program so as to benefit a greater number of low-income people in the nation.

There could be several possible options for the new program still under consideration when CEPD officials are carefully evaluating the pros and cons of issuing purchase vouchers already adopted by some nations, according to the reports.

One possible criterion is to draw a line of aggregate annual income of under NT$1.2 million for each household. Families with total income below the figure could be able to get

NT$8,000 worth of the shopping coupons with a total budget outlay of NT$50 billion.

A second option is to give NT$15,000 worth of the shopping coupons with to each qualified family with a total outlay of NT$100 billion.

Some reports said the worth of the shopping coupons to be given out can be NT$10,000 or NT$12,000.

CEPD officials urged the media organization not to take wild guesses about the figures or other possible criteria before the Cabinet makes a final decision on the issue.

But they revealed that the purchase coupon program has been tentatively set to take effect in around March next year. However, some experts from the academic and business communities noted that it is unfair to exclude people from households with aggregate annual income of exceeding NT$1.2 million.

They said it would be unfair for these taxpayers who contributed the most to the national revenues but are unable to get any of the benefits.

Some suggested that there should be a mechanism for the government and the consumers to split the purchasing costs. They explained that when a consumer makes a purchase of NT$2,000, the two parties may split the bill by paying NT$1,000 each.

Such a formula of offering a 50 percent of subsidy by the government will be able to induce consumer to make more spending on domestic consumption and help spur economic activities, they said.

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