ISLAMABAD, Sept 4: The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has paid Rs14.35 billion refund/rebate to exporters during July-August 2002-03 against Rs14.20 billion the same period last year, showing a marginal increase of 1 per cent.

Official figures released by the CBR here on Wednesday, showed that the tax authorities have not released maximum refunds to exporters in the first two months in comparison to the same period of the last year.

Tax-wise break up showed that the CBR paid Rs10.513 billion refund under the head of sales tax against Rs9.1 billion the same period last year, showing an increase of 15.52 per cent.

Under the head of customs, it paid Rs3.845 billion rebate against Rs5.103 billion over the corresponding period last year, a decrease of 24.65 per cent.

A CBR senior official said that this year extra refunds would not be released to exporters as was done last year to clear the backlog of the previous year.

He said that last year the maximum refund/rebate was released to exporters to help them face the financial crunch following the 9/11 incidents.