Apr-Aug direct tax revenues increase 42%

Buoyant corporate performance has pushed up direct tax collections by 42 per cent during the first five months of the current financial year. The collections went up to Rs 61,030 crore during April-August 2007-08 compared to Rs 42,980 crore during the corresponding period last fiscal, a finance ministry release stated today.

Corporate tax collection grew by 49.49 per cent during the five-month period to Rs 33,766 crore, up from Rs 22,587 crore a year ago. Personal income tax realisation (including fringe benefit tax, securities transaction tax and banking cash transaction tax) grew 33.76 per cent to Rs 27,206 crore, up from Rs 20,340 crore during the corresponding period last fiscal.

The growth in securities transaction tax was 35.16 per cent and banking cash transaction tax 79.73 per cent in April-August. In 2007-08 so far, direct tax collections have consistently maintained a growth of over 40 per cent, reflecting continued buoyancy in the economy.