Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's National Alms Agency (BAZNAS) targets collection of zakat (Islamic alms) to reach Rp1 trillion (around US$63.94 million) in 2024, or an around 51.52-percent increase as compared to that collected in the previous year.

"In terms of collection achievement (last year), it was great. It means we increase it (the target) every year by at least 30 percent. Our target this year is Rp1 trillion," BAZNAS Head Noor Achmad remarked here on Wednesday.

He explained that funds collected by BAZNAS, include zakat, infak (donation), funds from corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, and other religious social funds.

Along with the development of information technology, zakat collection by BAZNAS has entered the era of crowdfunding, such as through the Zakat Hub that optimizes technological advancements for zakat collection.

"Meanwhile, for BAZNAS (regional offices) across Indonesia, it (the total target) is Rp41 trillion (around US$2.62 billion) in 2024. Such achievement will also strengthen our (alms) distribution," he remarked.

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He noted that the funds collected by BAZNAS will be distributed to various community empowerment programs, such as for scholarships, financing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), microfinance program, and the Santripreneur program specifically for students of Islamic boarding schools.

He expressed optimism that those programs would support people to rise up, from earlier being mustahik (beneficiaries) to muzaki (givers).

"Inshallah (God willing) going forward, we have set (a target) that our beneficiaries are 68 million (people) and (target) for mustahik becoming muzaki is 450 thousand (people)," he remarked.

Achmad expressed gratitude that people's trust in BAZNAS to provide alms has continued to improve. He noted that the trust has been gained due to mature preparation, starting from planning to distribution.

"We are organizing them well and transparently. Therefore, everything that is given by muzaki to BAZNAS can be accounted for," he stated.

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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Raka Adji
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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