Businessmen paying less in alms due to lack of laws protecting alms system- Sheikh Shaheem

Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has said that businessmen have been paying less in alms due to their being no law to protect the alms system.

Minister Shaheem made this statement at the ceremony held Sunday night at Islamic center hall to inaugurate the higher education loan scheme to financially assist students and to award the recipients of the higher education scholarships under the alms fund.

Shaheem noted that the business owners have been paying less in alms with the introduction of the taxation system. He said that this decline is a great loss to the recipients of aid from the alms fund.

Minister Shaheem said that alms fund has been aiding the country’s education sector since long and has been pivotal in the development of education sector. He said that the alms fund has been directing its proceeds to fund students in their higher education. He noted that a total of 489 students were awarded with higher education scholarships from the alms fund this year.

The Minister said that apart from the education sector the alms fund have been providing financial assistance to some health care services not covered by the government health insurance scheme Aasandha. He said that these services include the treatment of cancer patients, payment for dialysis and other expenses.

In addition to this, Minister Sheikh Shaheem said that several amendments have been brought to the alms fund and a Shariah Advisory Committee has been established. He said that a report is being prepared highlighting the achievements of the alms fund in the past four years.