Following is the text of the Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley's Statement on the subject to impose tax on agriculture income:

"I have read the paragraph in Niti Ayog Report entitled 'Income tax on agriculture income'. To obviate any confusion on the subject, I categorically state that the Central Government has no plan to impose any tax on agriculture income. As per the Constitutional Allocation of Powers, the Central Government has no jurisdiction to impose tax on agricultural income."

Tax on agricultural income remains off the table as constitutional allocation precludes central jurisdiction to impose it. The Finance Minister categorically stated that the Central Government has no plan to impose tax on agricultural income, responding to a Niti Aayog reference, and that under the constitutional allocation of powers the Central Government lacks jurisdiction to levy such a tax.