Some 10,114 people have registered as poor and eligible for Zakat in the capital Malé at the end of a registration deadline yesterday, local media reports.
According to the Islamic Ministry, more than 53,000 people will be eligible for Zakat in 2014 – an obligatory alms tax collected from the accumulated wealth of all able Muslims.
The number of registered poor rose to 53,200 last year from 50,619 in 2012 – a 4.9 percent increase.
The ministry has said that MVR47 million (US$3 million) was collected last year as Zakat and out of this approximately MVR21.3 million (US$1.3 million) will be distributed to the poor – each person is expected to receive MVR400 (US$26).
