Direct tax kitty swells

Rs 84,409 croreDirect tax collections in the first five months of the current fiscal

Rs 61,030 croreCollections in the same period in the previous fiscal

31.85 per centGrowth in fringe benefit tax

Rise in corporate taxes

43.49 per cent

This fiscal Rs 48,450 crore

Previous fiscal Rs 33,766 crore

31.79 per cent

Growth in personal income tax

15.10 per cent

Growth in securities transaction tax

Banking cash transaction tax

BCTC posted a negative growth of 21.36 per cent at Rs 274 crore against Rs 348 crore. But then, this tax was never intended as a revenue-generating measure,but was imposed to keep track of black money.

How it will help

Analysts say robust tax collections are expected to help the government maintain fiscal deficit at 2.5 per cent during 2008-09 despite increase in expenditure in the election year.