The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has begun distributing 50 tonnes of dates gifted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, the ministry’s Deputy Director General, Abdul Azeez Ismail revealed that the Saudi Kingdom has donated medjool dates weighing 50 tonnes to the Maldivians government this year as well.

Highlighting that the Kingdom provides a supply of dates in time for the fasting month of Ramadan each year, Ismail stated that this year, they will be distributing 25,000 packs, each weighing two kilos.

The Deputy Director General revealed that the packs will be offered on a first-come-first-serve basis and that they will prioritize less-fortunate households in distributing the Saudi Kingdom’s donation. In this regard, one pack will be offered to every group of three households after packs are distributed among the less-fortunate.

Malé City Council will be in charge of distributing the date packages to households in the capital and Villimalé while the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) is to distribute them among households in Hulhumalé.

Further, the ministry is also in discussion with the atoll and island councils to distribute the packages to outlying atolls as well.

A total of 16,209 individuals are registered in the country as poor people, with 3,300 being registered in the capital city alone.