ISLAMABAD, June 7: Central Zakat Council on Saturday approved its budget of Rs 10.71 billion for the financial year 2003-2004.

Rs five billion were allocated for Zakat mustahiqeen under permanent rehabilitation scheme and Rs one billion as stipend for needy students of technical education.

Rs 4,710 million was allocated under regular head of Zakat while Rs one 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 of Zakat and Ushr about the disbursement of Zakat for the year 2002-2003.

He also placed before the meeting the Zakat collection report of the last five months for the Zakat year 1423-24 Hijra and said an upward trend in Zakat collection was witnessed during this period.

Giving details about the increase in Zakat collection, he said Rs 2,904.23 million was collected which is 30.53 million higher than the previous collection.

He said if the upward trend in Zakat collection remained the same, it is hoped that the collection of Zakat would be high.

The council reviewed the disbursement of Zakat for the year 2002-2003 and expressed its full satisfaction in this regard.

The members of the council urged the provincial Zakat administrations to ensure full disbursement of Zakat by the end of every financial year.—APP