As per data released by the Income Tax department, just over 2 crore Indians, or 1.7% of the total population, paid income tax in the assessment year 2015-16. Around 4 crore people filed returns, with only 2.06 crore actually paying tax. The total income tax paid declined to ₹1.88 lakh crore in 2015-16, from ₹1.91 lakh crore in 2014-15.