Automation brings transparency, Zakat for deserving with honour

LAHORE: Besides imparting vocational training to 30,000 young people in 180 vocational training institutes being run by Rs3.33 billion Zakat Fund, a pilot project titled “Sustainable Economic Empowerment Programme” (SEEP) has been launched in six districts of Punjab for transforming Mustahqeen-e-Zakat (those who deserve Zakat) to Sahib-e-Nisab (capable of giving Zakat) by helping the skilled youth to start small businesses.
This was disclosed during an interview with the Secretary, Ushr and Zakat, Government of Punjab, Habibur Rahman Gilani.
The interview was conducted by The News in the light of news items appearing in different media forums that huge funds were in circulation in the country without proper coordination under the charitable heads under the supervision of both the government and the public.
The secretary was asked to explain the scheme of things of the Punjab government for the disbursement of Zakat welfare funds for the sustenance of the impoverished classes.
The News was informed that in order to enhance the present Rs3.33 billion Zakat Fund with the help of voluntary donations, Punjab government’s Zakat Department recently held “Punjab Philanthropy Forum” that was attended by more than 250 participants from government departments, NGOs, diplomats, parliamentarians and donors. The focus was on improving coordination among various institutions working for poverty alleviation that also included BISP (Benazir Income Support Programme), besides others.
Dwelling upon other salient features, the secretary said that the latest system of distribution has been devised on the pattern of corporate management and not only that complete transparency has been ensured, speedy disbursement of Zakat and Ushr has also come about. And that has been ensured, in addition to corporate management, through a system of automation and mobile branchless banking plus easy paisa scheme that have been put in place to put an end to personal discretion of Zakat committees’ chairmen and to rid the people of seven-to-ten days’ wait to get these welfare funds.
The secretary told this scribe that now the old method of distributing Zakat among the needy with the committees’ chairmen enjoying discretion has been done away with and the government of Mian Shahbaz Sharif has introduced completely transparent, automated system.
Previously, due to the release of Zakat funds through open cheques, many instances of misappropriation had come to the fore whose recurrence has been stopped forthwith since money is now paid through banks in the form of crossed cheques.
Explaining the scheme of automation, the secretary said the data of 100% beneficiaries of Zakat has been digitalized which has made the recipients’ identification easy and also eliminated the chances of ghost beneficiaries or the blue-eyed recipients. “Now every single penny of Zakat funds is traceable down to the beneficiary.”
When the Zakat department is rendering so many invaluable services, why most of the people are ignorant about it, the secretary was asked. He replied: Most people are not aware of the services being rendered by Punjab government for helping the poor through Zakat. A widespread awareness campaign has, therefore, been launched and as an important step to introduce transparency, an Annual Report of Zakat Fund is being printed for the first time.
The secretary also said that full attention was being given in the areas of healthcare and education as educational stipends amounted to Rs1155 million that include 40% for technical education, through PVTC. Stipends to the students of Deeni madaris or religious seminaries amount to 90 million while Health Care’s share is Rs320 million for provincial and district level health care systems.
It was further stated that rate of subsistence allowance or Guzara allowance for about 90 thousand poor families has been increased from an average of Rs200 to Rs1000 per month. Similarly, the rate for Marriage Allowance for poor girls has been increased from Rs10,000 to Rs20,000.And above all, the mission statement of CM Mian Shahbaz Sharif and thus of Zakat Department is ‘Help for the Deserving with honour’, concluded the secretary.