SINGAPORE - Singapore will set aside a further S$11 billion in a COVID-19 support package this year, its finance minister Heng Swee Keat said on Tuesday, as part of his budget announcement, extending last year’s unprecedented fiscal response to the pandemic.

The government had last year committed nearly S$100 billion ($75.55 billion) in support measures to cushion the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

"My new year's wish is to have one budget," Heng said at the start of his budget speech. The finance minister rolled out several budgets last year to try and offset Singapore's worst ever recession.

The government plans to allocate S$24 billion over the next three years for economic transformation measures such as redesigning jobs and help businesses innovate as the city-state prepares itself for a post-pandemic world.

"We will invest in our people – so they can bounce back and be ready for opportunities that arise; we will invest in our businesses – so they can innovate, build deep capacities and seize growth opportunities," Heng said.

He said Singapore was also investing in a range of innovative schemes including a software system that can verify COVID-19 test result certificates and vaccination records, an endeavour to help to revive its battered aviation sector. ($1 = 1.3237 Singapore dollars)

(Reporting by John Geddie and Aradhana Aravindan Editing by Ed Davies)