ISLAMABAD, June 8: Central Zakat Council on Saturday approved its budget of Rs10.71 billion for the financial year 2003-2004.

An amount of Rs5 billion was allocated for Zakat Mustahiqeen under Permanent Rehabilitation Scheme and Rs1 billion as stipend for needy students of technical education.

Similarly, Rs4,710 million was allocated under regular head of Zakat, and Rs1 billion for administrative expenditure, victims of natural calamities and national health institutions.

The budget was accorded approval in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui.

Earlier, the meeting was informed by Nusratullah Khan, senior joint secretary, Zakat and Ushr, about the disbursement of Zakat for the year 2002-2003. He said the disbursement remained satisfactory.— APP