Sinan County Implements 'Welfare Without Application'... Water Bill Discount Beneficiaries Triple

Automatic Discount System Introduced for Elderly and Disabled Residents
Realizing Resident-Centered Welfare through 'Proactive Administration'

A view of the Sinan County Office building.

Sinan County in South Jeolla Province has introduced a system that automatically applies water bill discounts for information-vulnerable groups, reflecting the region's high proportion of elderly and disabled residents. This initiative aims to address welfare blind spots.

The county announced on the 23rd that, starting last month, it has fully implemented the "Automatic Water Bill Discount Service." The administrative system has been improved so that eligible residents automatically receive the benefit without having to apply separately.

Previously, those eligible for water bill discounts, such as recipients of the National Basic Livelihood Security Program, had to apply directly. However, many residents with limited access to information, including the elderly and people with disabilities, often missed out on the benefit because they did not apply.

In response, the county streamlined the process by linking the Social Security Information System (Haengbok-e-eum) with the water and sewage billing system. Now, once a resident is confirmed as a basic livelihood security recipient, they are automatically included as a discount beneficiary.

As a result of this system improvement, the number of households eligible for the discount has increased more than threefold, from 217 to 701. Unnecessary administrative procedures, such as submitting applications, have been eliminated, significantly reducing inconvenience for residents.

A county official stated, "This is the result of our efforts to create welfare services that residents can truly feel," adding, "We will continue to gradually expand eligibility to include the near-poor and recipients of housing and education benefits, taking the lead in realizing sustainable welfare."

Meanwhile, starting with this measure, the county plans to continue promoting resident-centered 'proactive administration' and effective, customized welfare policies.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.