‘Cards might be issued for Zakat beneficiaries’
The Sindh Zakat and Ushr department is considering a plan to issue Zakat Relief Cards. They might also triple the Guzara allowance to Rs10,000.
According to Muhammad Sajid Jokhio, the provincial minister for Zakat and Ushr, the department is also reviewing proposals to increase the dowry allowance to Rs100,000 and finance small businesses for unemployed youth. He was speaking at a press conference on Wednesday after presiding over a meeting with the chairmen of Zakat committees from all over the province.
According to Jokhio, Federal Zakat Council increased their grant from Rs850 million last year, to Rs1.55 billion this year. The department wants to use the sum for the benefit of the poor and deserving people, he said.
Jokhio said that the department also received Rs200 million from the Federal Zakat Council for relief and rehabilitation in the flood-hit areas. The same amount was also given to the Sindh Relief Commissioner, earlier he added. Under the current system officials of the Zakat department distribute the amounts manually. Complaints are common that officials are taking bribes and siphoning off some percentage from the amount for the beneficiaries.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2011.
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