JABAR EKSPRES – Commission B for Economic Affairs of the Surabaya City DPRD, East Java, expects business capital assistance through zakat to the local National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) to alleviate poverty in the local area.
“Business assistance through zakat distribution is a form of concrete attention from the municipal government or Baznas to the empowerment of MSMEs as an effort to alleviate poverty,” said Deputy Chairman of Commission B DPRD, Anas Karno in Surabaya, Thursday (13/4).
For this reason, Anas encouraged that business capital assistance through Baznas Surabaya be used as well as possible by residents who need capital for businesses or micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who want to develop their businesses.
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Anas said that the business capital assistance can also be used by residents to start becoming MSME players.
“Considering that consumer demand tends to increase during Ramadan. Especially before Eid al-Fitr,” he said.
In addition, he said, the capital assistance is expected to be used to meet the demand for MSME products during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
Previously, the Surabaya City Government had committed that the distribution of zakat by Baznas Surabaya be given in the form of business capital assistance, or in the form of trading tools. This is done so that beneficiaries can be economically independent.
“When given in the form of business capital assistance, that way, the zakat given is productive. So that it produces the economy continuously,” said the Mayor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi.
However, he said, mustahik or people who receive this business capital assistance must also be monitored and assisted.
“So there must be mentoring by Baznas or zakat institutions by cooperating with the government. So that there is no more zakat that is given Rp200 thousand-Rp300 thousand, after that next week it is no longer there (used up),” said Eri.
