The department of Zakat NWFP has distributed a handsome amount of Rs 1.20 billion amongst 0.327 million deserving destitute of the province during last four years government of the religio-political alliance MMA, sources told Business Recorder on Saturday.
Giving the break up of the distribution of Zakat, the sources said that the province has received 13.82 percent of the total Zakat fund in proportion to its population from central Zakat fund. The province each year receives Rs 490 million in head of Zakat fund from federal government of which it spends Rs 136 million every year on imparting of different technical skills to the people while Rs 33.1 million use to spent on administrative expenditure of the department.
About 60 percent of the budget of the department spent in payment of Zakat to destitute in head of Guzara Allowance enabling the deserving poor segment in society to fill their requirements of day today matters. An amount of Rs 500 is being distributed among the destitute on monthly basis.
The provincial department of Zakat has 42 officers and staff with a budget of Rs 10.131 million while 24 district offices has 235 employees requiring a budget of Rs 31.071 million.
The department also spends a big portion of the fund on the education of deserving children. The provincial government during the period of last four years distributed Rs 39.4 million among 0.568 million students in head of scholarships to students ranging from primary education to students of professional colleges in the province.
The department also paid Rs 157.6 million to 96,000 students of the religious seminaries, Rs 120 million were spent on provision of the deserving patients in district and Tehsil headquarters hospitals while Rs 80 million was spent on dowries of unmarried deserving girls. The provincial Zakat department pays an amount of Rs 10,000 on the wedding of the deserving women to buy household goods of requirement.
In head of social welfare the department has spent Rs 80 million during last four years on imparting sewing skill to less qualified students enabling them to earn honourable livelihood while living inside their houses. The fund also includes expenses made on provision of tri-wheel cycles and pushcart to special persons.
Similarly in head of imparting technical training the provincial government has spent Rs 540 million in imparting different kind of training to intending deserving people. The provincial government has imparted technical training to 50,000 people and had enabled them to earn livelihood for their families.
The provincial government during last four years has also distributed a handsome amount of Rs 1.37 billion in form of cash assistance to unemployed youth to begin the business of their choice. The provincial government under its rehabilitation programme of the unemployed youth from Zakat fund used to pay a cash amount of Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 and in this connection had so far made payments to 0.8 million persons in the province. "A survey recently conducted shows that about 76 percent persons extended assistance from Zakat fund has started their own business," the sources added. In head of Eid grant on occasion of Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha, the government had distributed Rs 110 million among the poor and deserving destitute of the province.
The provincial government also assists big hospitals of the province from Zakat fund and paid them million of rupees for free treatment of deserving patients. According to a data Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) receives Rs 8.250 million, department of cardiology LRH Rs 4.8 million, Irnum Peshawar Rs 9 million, Khyber Teaching Hospital Rs 7 million, department of oncology Rs 1 million, Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) Rs 1.5 million, Ayub Medical Complex (AMC) Rs 6 million, Cantonment General Hospital Rs 1 million and Children Rehyderation Centre Peshawar Rs 2.5 million respectively as annual Zakat grant from the provincial government.
The provincial government has also recommended the assistance of the seven large medical facilities of the province beside extending the financial assistance to four national level hospitals including Saidu Group of Hospitals, Saidu Sharif Swat, Government Mental Hospital, Dadar Mansehra, Frontier Foundation Welfare Hospital, Peshawar and Baghadada TB Hospital, Mardan and Rehman Medical Institute, Hayatabad.