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Does going cashless make you tax-rich? Evidence from India's demonetization experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Satadru Das

    (Reserve Bank of India)

  • Lucie Gadenne

    (Queen Mary University of London)

  • Tushar Nandi

    (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER))

  • Ross Warwick

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies)

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of electronic payment technology on tax compliance in a large developing economy. We consider India's demonetization policy which, by limiting cash availability, led to a large increase in the use of electronic forms of payments. Using administrative data on firms' tax returns and variation in the strength of the demonetization shock across local areas, we find that greater use of electronic payments leads to firms reporting more sales to the tax authorities. Our estimates imply that the shift to electronic payments increased reported sales by 5% despite demonetization's negative effect on economic activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Satadru Das & Lucie Gadenne & Tushar Nandi & Ross Warwick, 2022. "Does going cashless make you tax-rich? Evidence from India's demonetization experiment," Working Papers 943, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    • Handle: RePEc:qmw:qmwecw:943
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Rainone, Edoardo, 2023. "Tax evasion policies and the demand for cash," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    2. Rösl, Gerhard & Seitz, Franz, 2022. "On the stabilizing role of cash for societies," IMFS Working Paper Series 167, Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability (IMFS).
    3. Chen, Yutong & Chiplunkar, Gaurav & Sekhri, Sheetal & Sen, Anirban & Seth, Aaditeshwar, 2023. "How Do Political Connections of Firms Matter during an Economic Crisis?," IZA Discussion Papers 16131, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    tax compliance; electronic payments; demonetization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • O23 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Fiscal and Monetary Policy in Development
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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