Customs mop-up rises 30 per cent in April-May

Customs collections during the first two months of the current financial year have grown by a healthy 30 per cent to Rs 12,633 crore compared with Rs 9,699 crore in April-May last year. This has been attributed to an increase in non-oil imports.

According to data with the finance ministry, excise collections in April-May grew by 10 per cent to Rs 14,662 crore against Rs 13,350 crore in the corresponding period last year.

Customs collections in May were 6,971 crore as against Rs 5,151 crore in May last year, an increase of over 35 per cent. The April collections were Rs 5,662 crore against Rs 4,548 crore in April 2005, an increase of around 25 per cent.

Officials said the revenue department had for the first time taken into account the dip in collections in June. "Our Customs collections usually dip in June. We have factored this in and projected lower collections for the month," an official said.

Given the Customs collection target of Rs 77,066 crore for the financial year, officials said since the department had already mopped up around 16 per cent of the targeted amount, the monthly mop-up for the remaining financial year would have to be in the range of Rs 6,500 crore.

Excise collections in May were Rs 8,695 crore compared with Rs 7,851 crore in May 2005, an increase of 10.7 per cent.