ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: The Central Board of Revenue collected Rs361.6 billion during the July-Jan period of the current fiscal year as against the target of Rs358.6 billion, showing an increase of Rs3 billion.

The official figures released here on Tuesday indicated that the revenue collection recorded a growth of 19.1 per cent during the period under review when compared with the last year collection of Rs303.7 billion.

On monthly basis, the provisional collection of Jan 2006 stands at Rs38.6 billion as against Rs41.252 billion during the same month last year, showing a decline of 6.42 per cent. The CBR expect the overall collection will further increase when the revenue figures for January 2006 are finalized in the next few days.

With the exception of federal excise duties (FEDs), there was a double-digit growth in the remaining three revenue heads — sales tax, income tax and customs duty.

The collection of direct taxes reached Rs111.8 billion during the period under review as against Rs87.454 billion during the same period last year, indicating an increase of 27.9 per cent. The overall sales tax collection during the July-Jan period of the current fiscal reached Rs151.6 billion against the target of Rs149.5 billion, showing an increase of 17.9 per cent.

While sales tax receipts at the import stage have increased by 13.8 per cent, the sales tax (domestic) collection has increased by 24.9 per cent over the corresponding period last year. The collection of customs duties went up to Rs69.9 billion as against Rs59.9 billion, indicating a growth of 16.6 per cent.

The collection under the head of federal excise reached Rs28.3 billion during the period review as against Rs27.779 billion during the same period last year, showing an increase of 1.87 per cent.