Definition
Non-Tax Revenue
Non-tax revenue is the government's income from sources other than taxes, such as dividends from PSUs and the RBI, interest, spectrum fees and user charges.
Alongside taxes, the government earns non-tax revenue from dividends and surplus transfers from the RBI and public sector enterprises, interest on loans it has given, spectrum and licence fees, royalties and various user charges. These are part of revenue receipts.
The size of the RBI's surplus transfer in particular can swing the Budget arithmetic significantly in a given year. Because some non-tax sources are lumpy and discretionary, analysts treat them as less stable than tax revenue when judging the durability of the government's finances.
Related terms
- Gross vs Net Tax RevenueGross tax revenue is the Centre's total tax collection, while net tax revenue is what remains after the states' share is devolved to them.
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI)The RBI is India's central bank and monetary authority, responsible for issuing currency, setting policy rates, regulating banks and managing the government's debt.
- Revenue Receipts vs Capital ReceiptsRevenue receipts are government income that creates no liability or reduces no asset, while capital receipts either create a liability, like borrowing, or reduce an asset, like disinvestment.
Plain-English explainer from The Dispatch Investors Encyclopedia. General information, not financial advice.