Updated on: May 12th, 2023
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11 min read
The main aim of our government is to manage the country and keep it progressing. The varied needs of the people as a whole should be kept in mind and a ‘push’ needs to be given wherever necessary. Various schemes have been launched by both the State and Central Governments that the citizens can benefit from. However, in a country where the population is in billions, it is difficult to identify who is genuinely eligible for what type of benefit.
Therefore, the government issues various types of certifications on the submission of valid proofs. One such type of certification is the Income Certificate. It can be used to take benefit of those schemes where eligibility is determined based on the annual income of the person or his/her family.
In this article, we shall look at the following aspects with regards to the Income Certificate.
An Income Certificate is a document issued by an authority under the State Government certifying the annual income of a person or his family from all sources. The actual authority that issues such a certificate varies from state to state. It is usually the Village Tehsildars that issue the certificate but many states and union territories also have District Magistrate, Deputy Commissioner, Collector, Revenue Circle Officers, Sub Divisional Magistrates or other District Authorities appointed for this purpose.
The income of the person or family needs to be calculated while issuing the income certificate. Income means financial gain or regular earning by a person working for an organisation, laboured person or individuals doing business. The income certificate can be issued certifying the income of an individual or his/her family.
The income of earning members of a family, including unmarried daughters, unmarried brothers and sisters living together will be included while calculating the family income. The earnings of family members include the following:
The income of an individual / individual members of a family from all sources for issuing income certificate will be calculated as follows:
As mentioned earlier, the income certificate acts as a proof of eligibility to various schemes and benefits granted by the State Government in various fields. These fields include but are not limited to:
Most states have a dedicated website for such administration related activities through which the certificate can be applied for. The procedure would be:
After gathering all the documents, depending on the infrastructure offered by the respective state, the application has to be either submitted at the local district authority’s office or uploaded online. The application would cost a nominal fee depending on the state it is applied in. The certificate is then issued within a period of 10 – 15 days.
The documents required for obtaining the income certificate may vary from one state to another. The common list of documents required for obtaining the income certificate are:
Additional documents such as expenditure proof may also need to be submitted depending on the individual requirement as provided by the state government/union territory.
The income certificate is valid for the financial year mentioned in the certificate. Thus, the certificate needs to be renewed every financial year in order to ensure validity. Also, the old certificate might be required as proof for the issue of an updated income certificate.
Income Certificate demonstrates your ability to generate income and showcase your financial stability. Obtaining your income certificate online in India may involve some challenges, but it is certainly achievable. Various methods exist for obtaining an online income certificate, and the most suitable one for you will depend on the resources at your disposal. It is crucial to conduct thorough research beforehand to identify the method that suits you best, ensuring a smooth process without any unnecessary difficulties.
All persons are eligible to apply for an income certificate. Businessmen, salaried employees, non-salaried persons, widows, labourers, consultancy owners, agents, etc can apply for this certificate.
No. The EWS certificate is an income and asset certificate issued to the economically weaker category. The income certificate will not show the caste of a person. However, an income certificate certifies the income of a family for the year it is issued. An income certificate is necessary for obtaining the EWS certificate.
No. The income certificate includes details of annual income for all sources, whereas an agriculture income certificate contains only the details of income obtained from involvement in any and all agricultural activities.
No. Income certificate is issued only to the residents of the respective state/UT. The applicant needs to provide the address/residence proof of the state in which he/she applies for an income certificate. Thus, only residents of the state can apply for an income certificate.
Usually, any government-issued identity/address proof can be provided for obtaining an income certificate. However, an Aadhaar card is mandatory nowadays to apply for an income certificate.
Government aims to manage the country, cater to varied needs of citizens through schemes. Income Certificate helps determine eligibility for benefits based on annual income. Procedure includes calculating income from various sources, applying online, and submitting required documents. Certification valid for one year. FAQs clarify eligibility, differences between certificates, and application criteria for NRIs.