M S Dhoni, who quit international cricket six year ago, has emerged as the highest individual taxpayer in Bihar and Jharkhand for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.Dr D Sudhakara Rao, Principal Chief Commissioner, Income Tax (Bihar -Jharkhand), said the total collection from Bihar and Jharkhand during the financial year of 2025-26 was around Rs 20,000 crore, of which Rs 12,000 crore was collected only from Jharkhand.“M S Dhoni was the highest individual taxpayer combining Bihar and Jharkhand during the previous financial year,” Rao said. However, he did not disclose Dhoni’s net tax return.Another official pointed out that Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and CMPDI were among the highest taxpayers among corporates.Rao noted that the mining activity was a bit affected due to heavy rains, which impacted the collection during the previous financial year. “We hope to exceed the Rs 20,000 crore mark in tax collection during the current financial year,” he said.Tax deduction at source (TDS) accounts for about 70 percent of the total amount collected, he said, adding that only 40 lakh of the approximately 5.5 crore PAN card users in Bihar and Jharkhand file returns.Earlier, Rao met with the IT officers to discuss the new Income Tax Act, 2025, which will replace the six-decade-old Income Tax Act, 1961 on April 1. The meeting was attended by around 100 officials from both states.“The new Act marks a shift towards greater clarity and ease of compliance through simple language, a streamlined structure and a reader-friendly presentation, without altering the underlying tax policy,” Rao said.He further stated that a number of outreach initiatives would be carried out in Bihar and Jharkhand to educate bankers, PSUs, and other stakeholders on the specifics of the new tax.