SWABI, Nov 18: The District Zakat Department has been given Rs8.3 million to be distributed among poverty-stricken people across the district as subsistence allowance. Sources told Dawn on Friday that deserving people were identified by chairmen of 189 district committees and these names were registered with the district Zakat office.

They said that each person would get Rs500. This is a six-month scheme and after its completion more funds would be allocated for the same purpose.

Monitoring of funds disbursement would be done by officers of Zakat department who would pay surprise visits to different union councils to detect irregularities, if any.

The sources said the District Zakat Department had also been sanctioned Rs1,257,000 which will be distributed as scholarships among poor students from primary to the high-school classes.

The sources said a deserving primary-school student would get Rs75 per month while a high-school student would be given Rs112 per month.