Customs collection up 34 per cent

Customs collection during the first quarter of the current fiscal has touched Rs 19,638 crore, compared with Rs 14,655 crore in April-June 2005-06, an increase of 34 per cent.

Excise duty collections during April-June 2006-07 was Rs 23,560 crore, which is over 8 per cent higher than the Rs 21,791 crore collected during April-June 2005-06.

Officials said the excise collections during the first quarter was better than last year when excise collections was negative. "Customs collections have also been doing well on account of buoyant imports," the official added. Direct tax collections during the first quarter also grew by over 50 per cent.

Officials said the 47 per cent increase in corporate tax collections during April-June this fiscal was lower than the 80 per cent growth witnessed in the first quarter of 2005-06.

The 54 per cent growth in personal income tax collection is being partly attributed to the large number of transactions captured by the income tax department through the annual information returns (AIR).

"Those whose transactions have been reflected in the AIR may be filing returns to avoid harassment by the tax officials," officials said.

The growth in personal income tax collections in the first quarter this year is better than last year when April-June collections actually saw negative growth in collections.

"The fall in personal income tax collections during April-June last year was on account of the increase in the exemption limit," they added.