ISLAMABAD, May 31: The Central Board of Revenue collected Rs600.6 billion during 11 months (July-May) of the current fiscal year as against Rs500.544 billion in the same period last year, indicating an increase of 19.98 per cent.

Provisional figures released here on Wednesday indicated that the collection would increase further when revenue figures for May 2006 were finalized in the next few days.

For achieving the annual target of Rs690 billion, the CBR will have to raise around Rs89.4 billion in June 2006. The CBR had collected Rs90.541 billion in June 2005, which indicated that the collection would easily cross Rs100 billion in June 2006.

The CBR is eyeing a collection of Rs710 billion by end of June 2006 in case economic growth continues at the same pace.

Tax-wise statistics showed that the CBR had collected Rs178.1 billion as direct tax during the July-May period of the current fiscal as against Rs146.4 billion in the same period last year, an increase of 21.7 per cent.

The overall sales tax collection, during the first 11 months reached Rs256 billion as against Rs207.8 billion, indicating a growth of 23.19 per cent. The collection on account of customs duties stood at Rs116.7 billion as against Rs99.3 billion, indicating a growth of 17.5 per cent.

The collection under federal excise duty increased by 5.7 per cent to Rs49.7 billion during the July-May period of the current fiscal year as against Rs47.052 billion during the same period last year.