Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing today chaired the sixth meeting of the Task Force on District Governance to follow up on the implementation progress of eight district initiatives in accordance with the overall strategies set by the Steering Committee on District Governance.

Mr Cheuk said: “All departments will continue to adhere to the mission of addressing people’s needs and achieving practical benefits for the public by actively following up on various district issues, with a view to fostering a greater sense of fulfilment, happiness and security among the people.”

The eight district issues cover areas including support for children and the elderly, environmental hygiene, law and order, road safety, pedestrian facilities and estate environment, as well as digital inclusion. These initiatives’ implementation progress was reported at today’s meeting:

(1) The School-based After School Care Service Scheme has been expanded to cover over 110 primary schools in 18 districts in the 2024-25 school year. As of end-October, 113 primary schools have participated in the scheme, benefitting over 5,000 students.

(2) In respect of caring for the elderly, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department has provided fitness equipment for senior citizens at 23 leisure venues. In addition, some 80 free sessions of Briefing on Outdoor Fitness Training will be given to about 2,000 participants, mainly targeting the elderly, at the fitness corners of 18 parks in 2024-25.

Under the Social Welfare Department’s pilot scheme, as of October, the District Services & Community Care Teams of Tsuen Wan District and Southern District have reached more than 5,600 households of singleton and doubleton elderly people, carers of the elderly, and citizens with disabilities. Needy cases have been referred to relevant social welfare units for follow-up.

(3) To improve the environment of public markets, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department is expediting toilet enhancement projects in public markets or cooked food markets, with a view to completing 23 enhancement projects by the end of 2025.

Separately, the pilot scheme on stall improvement at the Queen Street Cooked Food Market was completed in September. The reopened cooked food market has attracted more customers and received positive feedback from stall tenants and the public.

(4) Police plan to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at locations with higher crime rate and pedestrian flow in a bid to deter street crimes and aid investigation. From this April, Police have installed over 550 sets of CCTV cameras in various districts, which assisted the force in solving 70 criminal cases. The force plans to complete installing 2,000 sets of CCTV cameras in 2025.

Additionally, since August, Police, in collaboration with the Monetary Authority, have extended the coverage of the “Suspicious Account Alert” for Internet banking and physical branch transactions in order to better protect customers against fraud risks.

(5) The Highways Department (HyD) has completed the repaving of 37 footpath sections, and will finish the repaving of the three other footpath sections by the end of this year. It also plans to expand the repaving work to an additional 40 footpath sections starting in 2025.

Meanwhile, the Transport Department has completed the installation of auxiliary pedestrian crossing devices with red light-beam projections at 97 pedestrian crossing black spots.

(6) The HyD is conducting renovation and beautification works for 36 footbridges and pedestrian subways, and works for nine structures have been completed.

On a trial basis at 10 locations, it has also installed bench railings for citizens to sit and rest. The HyD will continue to identify suitable locations for installing such bench railings next year.

(7) To improve the environment of public housing estates, the Housing Department has commenced phased enhancement works for areas within 15 public rental housing estates.

(8) The Digital Policy Office has completed the approval of project proposals submitted by institutions/organisations for the Digital Inclusion Programme for the Elderlies, with a view to commencing the first batch of projects by the end of this year. The entire programme aims to benefit at least 100,000 senior citizens.

Furthermore, the office will launch a city-wide promotion campaign to encourage the elderly to actively engage in digital living.

Apart from thanking the departments for their efforts in advancing the above work and achieving good progress, Mr Cheuk urged them to actively follow up on various livelihood issues and strengthen their work on district management, with a view to addressing people’s concerns through action.