Is it permissible to collect Zakat in Ramadan and distribute it to the poor throughout the year in the form of money and food in the Indian city of New Bombay, where Muslims are the majority?

It is forbidden to give zakat to disbelievers, unless the disbeliever is among those whose hearts are to be reconciled. Zakat must be given immediately when it becomes due, and it is not permissible to delay it except for a slight benefit. There is no harm in delaying the payment of zakat to a poor person if there is a benefit in doing so, such as paying it to him in monthly installments. Zakat can be collected in advance for one or two years and paid to the poor monthly, provided that its disbursement is not delayed beyond its due time.