Chitral Times Report
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has decided in principle to assign the task of free medical treatment of deserving people through zakat fund to the health department further deciding that funds being provided to Zakat Department for the purpose would be absorbed into Dowry Fund setup for the financial assistance of deserving unmarried girls for their marriage expanses; and directed the concerned departments to sit together and come up with a final plan for the purpose. He also directed the Zakat Department to enhance the financial assistance being provided under Dowry Funds from Rs. 30,000 to at least one 1,00,000 rupees further directing the health department to establish separate fund for the medication of deserving people or to cover the free treatment of such people under Sehat Card Scheme.
He was chairing a meeting of Zakat, Ushar and Social Welfare Department here at Chief Minister Secretariat the other day. Provincial Minister Anwar Zaib, Secretary Social Welfare Manzoor Ahmad and other concerned authorities attended the meeting.
The Chief Minister has directed the high ups of the department for necessary measures to devise a transparent mechanism based on Information Technology on the pattern of Ihsas Program for identification of deserving people for Zakat Funds as well as for the distribution of Zakat Funds amongst the deserving people so that human intervention and political interference could be minimized to the possible level and cent percent transparency in the entire process could be ensured.
The meeting was given a detailed presentation on various reforms initiatives being introduced to streamline the affairs of the department and told that implementation of Zakat Management Information System (ZMIS) has been started with the aim to ensure services delivery in efficient and transparent manners. Under the initiatives a database would be established for all the orphans, special person, widows and homeless people. It was further informed that Zakat Hospital Management Information System (ZHMIS) has also been prepared for the proper record of health related facilities and would be implemented very soon. The forum was apprised that under the Zakat Orphan Management Information System (ZOMIS), data of around 35000 orphans have been collected so far and will soon be presented for the approval of zakat and ushr council. The chief minister directed the quarter concerned to have close coordination with the relevant welfare organizations to collect data of all the orphans across the province. The meeting was further informed that a Mobile App has been prepared for public awareness which would be available on google play store after its formal inauguration. Besides, measures are being taken for the revamping and reconstructing of the department to enhance its working capacity and streamline its business. The forum was told that identification of people deserving for Guzara Allowance is being carried out through Zakat Management Information System whereas the stipend being provided under Guzara Allowance has been increased from Rs. 1000 per month to Rs. 2000 per month. Similarly, monthly stipend being provided to the deserving students of Deeni Maddaris and Government Schools has also been increased from Rs. 2000 per month to Rs. 3000 per month.
