06 October 2013
A company is engaged in agricultural activities on a land which was not within the municipal limits till AY 2013-14. Now the land has been included in Municipal Limits w.e.f. 01st May 2013. Would there be any wealth tax on such land now?
Also please suggest whether the agricultural income on such land would be exempt or not from Income Tax now?
06 October 2013
“As the wealth tax is levied only on unproductive assets, there was no intention to levy wealth tax on the agricultural land which cannot be termed as unproductive assets,” the Finance Ministry explained after passage of the Finance Bill 2013 in the Lok Sabha amid opposition walkout. The government explained that the taxes were being levied only on urban land and not on agricultural land. Reuters.
It further said that the wealth tax is not leviable on urban land which is “classified as agricultural land in the records of the Government; and used for agricultural purposes”
Any income from such land driven as agricultural income is exempt from the purview of tax..
06 October 2013
As the wealth tax is levied only on unproductive assets, there was no intention to levy wealth tax on the agricultural land which cannot be termed as unproductive assets.
the wealth tax is not leviable on urban land which is classified as agricultural land in the records of the Government; and used for agricultural purposes. The proposed amendment will take effect retrospectively from April 1, 1993
07 October 2013
Thanks to all. That means no wealth tax on urban agricultural land. But suppose the land is diverted. In that case, would it be termed as agricultural land?