The budgetary estimate for excise duty collection is Rs 136,610 crore, which would translate into a growth of 8.8 per cent over last year.
"But at the moment, it seems little formidable," as April excise tax collections were not reassuring. "This might be an aberration," Chidambaram told reporters here.
"We are concerned about the sluggish growth in central excise collections," he said.
Chidambaram said problems in excise duty collection related to clandestine movements of goods and misuse of CENVAT credit.
He asked the excise department to devise a mechanism of third party information on excise assessees on the lines of annual information returns in income tax.
The Finance Minister, however, exuded confidence that budget target for customs and service tax collection for 2008-09 will be met.
