Government collects Rs 20,165 crore via education cess in April-January

NEW DELHI: Government today said it has collected Rs 20,165 crore through education cess in the first ten months of the current fiscal.

Of this, Rs 14,509 crore was collected under direct taxes and Rs 5,656 crore under indirect taxes, Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

Through the education cess, the government had collected Rs 35,986 crore in 2014-15, Rs 33,902 crore in 2013-14 and Rs 30,642 crore in 2012-13.

Education cess was introduced to fulfil the commitment of the government to provide and finance universalised quality basic, secondary and higher education.

The primary education cess was introduced in 2004-05, while the secondary and higher secondary education cess was introduced in Budget 2007-08, Sinha said.

"The proceeds of education cess are... spent on Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and mid-day meal scheme of the government," he added.