Maharashtra collects maximum wealth-tax

Maharashtra has collected the maximum wealth-tax in the country of Rs118.53 crore.

Delhi is a close second with Rs91.98 crore, followed by Tamil Nadu, which has collected Rs26.57 crore, according to data available with the finance ministry. West Bengal comes next with Rs25.40 crore followed by  Andhra Pradesh, having collected Rs15.79 crore.

The latest state-wise wealth-tax data available with the government is for the financial year 2007-08. The total wealth-tax collection in the country for 2008-09 is Rs385 crore, but the state-wise data for the year is yet to be compiled.

While Maharashtra’s wealth-tax quantum has risen nominally from Rs99.66 crore in 2006-07 to Rs118.53 crore in 2007-08, Delhi’s has witnessed a increase from Rs34.87 crore in 2006-07, Delhi has paid almost three times more — Rs91.98 crore — in 2007-08.

The other states on the top-10 list are Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana.

According to finance ministry officials, efforts are on to increase wealth-tax collections in the country. The government is working on simultaneous scrutiny of wealth-tax returns with income-tax returns, they said.