Direct tax collections up 71.28% at Rs 22,840 cr

New Delhi, Jun 18 (UNI) Country's direct tax collections grew a robust 71.28 per cent in the first two months of the current fiscal at Rs 22,840 crore against Rs 13,335 crore during the corresponding period a year ago.

Corporate tax increased 68.05 per cent at Rs 8,126 crore as against Rs 4,835 crore, while personal income tax jumped 73.05 per cent at Rs 14,690 crore as against Rs 8,489 crore, said an official statement.

Tax collected at source continued to grow this fiscal at about 51 per cent, the same level as in the last fiscal.

''The robust growth in direct taxes has been achieved despite larger refund payouts at Rs 9,014 crore in the first two months of this fiscal as against Rs 5,037 crore during the first two months of last fiscal,'' the statement said.

In spite of manpower shortage, refunds were issued to over 48 lakh taxpayers in FY 2007-08, compared to about 44.5 lakh refunds in the previous fiscal.

UNI MP SBA KP1957