ISLAMABAD, Sept 10: The Central Board of Revenue paid out Rs13.231 billion refund/ rebate to exporters during the first two months of the fiscal year 2004-05 as against Rs12.185 billion during the same months last year , showing an increase of 8.58 per cent.

Official figures released by the CBR here on Friday showed that a slight growth was observed in the payment of refund/rebate to the exporters during the period under review. However, the payment of customs rebate declined during the July-August period over the last year.

Further break-up showed that tax authorities paid out Rs10.349 billion as sales tax refunds during the first two months against Rs9.201 billion during the same months last year, showing an increase of 12.4 per cent. And the payment of rebate stood at Rs2.882 billion during the months under review as against Rs2.984 billion over the same months last year, showing a decline of 2.41 per cent.