ISLAMABAD, Nov 4: About 100,000 to 150,000 deserving persons will be provided financial assistance of Rs10,000 to Rs50,000 from Zakat fund to make them self-reliant.

Official sources in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Zakat and Ushr said, Rs2 billion were allocated for the new rehabilitation scheme aimed at helping the needy through distribution of Zakat.

The scheme was approved in January this year. Under the package, an individual is helped in starting his own business. As many as 44 different businesses have been identified by the religious ministry for this purpose.

The objective of the package is to turn the needy into useful and productive members of society.— APP