State and Government in Ancient India c20.157

c20.157

All mines were regarded as state property. Some of them were worked by the government, but others were often leased out as well. When such was the case, the lessee had to pay a fairly heavy excise duty. According to Śukra it was to be 50% in the case of gold and diamonds, 33⅓% in the case of silver and copper and 16 to 25 per cent in the case of other metals.³ A two per cent tax on gold, mentioned in the Smṛitis,⁴ is probably the customs duty and not the excise duty.