By Tessa Wong

THE Government recognises that charities will hit a wall during this economic downturn, so it may incorporate some form of aid for them in the coming Budget.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said on Sunday night at a charity dinner that it is in difficult times that needs grow larger and families find it harder to cope:

'The business of charity becomes more important ... and more challenging, because it's more difficult to raise funds in times of a downturn.