Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (image:facebook.com/nirmala.sitharaman)

New Delhi: A total of Rs. 2,37,797.96 crores collected as Health and Education Cess during the last three years, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Parliament on Tuesday, July 28. This information came as a response to the starred question raised by Rajya Sabha MP Neeraj Dangi.

In response to Dangi’s query, the Finance Minister stated that an Education Cess is levied on income tax payers, in addition to their regular income tax.

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The Minister further provided data from the last three years concerning the Health and Education Cess collected.

The Minister also gave information regarding the amount of Health and Education Cess spent during the last three years, citing data that a total of Rs 2,37,797.96 crores was spent.

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At present, the government levies a 4% health and education cess on Income Tax. These are levied additionally to facilitate public welfare schemes related to health and education. Education cess increased over the years; it started at 2% in 2004 and was increased to 4% in 2018.