Disbursement through Benazir Muawinat Card: Zakat department to launch 'Education Assistance' for needy students from August

Sindh Zakat and Ushr Department will initiate a scheme "Education Assistance" for the needy students from August 2012, Business Recorder learnt on Tuesday.
The documents of the scheme obtained by Business Recorder stated that Provision of Education Assistance: Zakat assistance may be provided through such schools, colleges, universities, polytechnic and other educational training and professional institutions in Sindh where deserving students intend to be enrolled/as are established or recognised by the government or established in the private sector purely for charitable or social welfare purposes.
Provided that documents in support of their claim are furnished along with application for grant of Zakat assistance. For the purpose of educational stipends there will be a Taluka/Town Student Welfare Committee (TSWC). District Zakat Officer concerned will be responsible for arranging meetings of TSWCs at least once in a month to dispose of Istehqaq certificates of deserving students. Istehqaq of a student will be determined in accordance with prescribed feedback and result duly obtained through a data entry system and verified/signed by District Database administrator.
The students (both boys & girls) will have the option to apply for the Istehqaq Certificate, the document stated. For this purpose, the student will use a prescribed Zakat Scholarship form titled "MERIT Scholarship" Form. The second part of the form relating to Istehqaq will be signed by Chairman of Taluka/Town Student Welfare Committee of which the student is a permanent resident. Istehqaq certificate for scholarship purposes will be completed by the Taluka/Town Student Welfare Committee within 30 days of the receipt of MERIT Scholarship Form and returned to applicant or sender by retaining one copy for office record, it stated.
In case Istehqaq certification from a Taluka/Town Student Welfare Committee is not received even after lapse of prescribed limit of thirty (30) days, the MERIT Scholarship Committee will report, in writing, to the concerned District Zakat Committee (DZC) requesting to advise defaulting Taluka/Town Student Welfare Committee for quick response. Simultaneously the MERIT Scholarship Committee, after satisfying itself about the facts, will be competent to grant scholarship provisionally to the Mustehiq students until the requisite certificate is issued or declined by the Taluka/Town Student Welfare Committee as the case may be, the document further stated.
The stipends will be paid in the form of "Zakat Annual Grant" to the educational institution recommended by the concerned TSWC and approved by DZUC in determining the size of annual grant. The financial assistance to Mustehiq students must be given for whole academic year and rules of ownership (Milkiyat) need to be observed strictly.
MERIT Scholarship Committee will hold Performance Review meetings after every six months. Depending upon the performance of the student, the committee will decide whether to continue the scholarship or cancel it for the remaining period. A list of students deleted from the scholarship programme will be supplied to the District Zakat & Ushr Committee and funds relating to them will be refunded to District Zakat Fund. The scholarship will be renewable for the next academic year subject to approval of District Zakat & Ushr Committee for additional funds needed due to promotion of student to the higher class and thereby to a higher stipend bracket, document stated.