What happened to Education Cess?
A Question was asked in the Rajya Sabha
Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:
(a) the funds collected through education cesses, State-wise and year-wise since 2000;
(b) the intended beneficiary projects of this cess;
(c) the amount and proportion of these funds that were utilised, year-wise since 2000;
(d) the reason why the funds collected through dedicated cesses remain unutilised; and
(e) the steps taken to immediately allocate and disburse funds for development of education in India?
Yesterday, the MoS, Finance replied that:
a. The Primary Education Cess was introduced in Financial Year 2004-05. The Secondary & Higher Secondary Education Cess was introduced in the Budget, 2007-08. The state wise information of Education Cess is not maintained centrally. (He gave the year-wise collection).
(b) to (e): The information is being collected and will be laid on the Table of the House.