Direct tax collection falls short by Rs 19,028 cr in FY15

Initial numbers suggest direct tax collection is short of the revised target by Rs 19,028 crore, but the income tax  (I-T) department is hopeful of meeting the target once figures from across the country come. The department has so far collected Rs 6,85,972 crore during the year gone by, as against the projected target of Rs 7,05,000 crore, a senior I-T official told PTI here on Monday. In FY14, the mop-up was Rs 5,83,000 crore.

Officials believe the figures are yet to come from some regions and once all the figures are in, which may take more than a week, the target would be met. So far only Delhi and Bangalore zones have been able to meet the targets, the official said.  Delhi alone has collected Rs 1,02,083 crore in tax, up from Rs 86,619 crore in the previous financial year, whereas Mumbai was able to mop up 2,26,305 crore, short of the Rs 2,30,000 crore last year.

LAGGING

• The department has so far collected Rs 6,85,972 crore during the year gone by against the projected target of Rs 7,05,000 crore for FY15
• Officials believe the figures are yet to come from some regions and once all the figures are in, which could take more than a week, the target would be met

The department revised the direct tax collection to Rs 7,05,000 crore for the 2014-15 financial year against the initial projection of Rs 7,36,000 crore in view of the sluggish economic growth. The official blamed the shortfall on sectors such as manufacturing which witnessed a slow growth.

However, many large corporations paid higher advance tax this financial year, especially in the fourth quarter. State Bank of India reportedly paid 23 per cent more advance tax at about Rs 1,794 crore for the March quarter against Rs 1,456 crore a year-ago. LIC paid Rs 1,470 crore, an increase of 15 per cent over last financial year. For the full fiscal, the insurance behemoth has paid Rs 5,880 crore against Rs 5,100 crore in the last financial year. Mortgage lender HDFC paid 12.8 per cent more at Rs 2,435 crore this financial year. Rural development lender Nabard paid about Rs 1,560 crore, up from Rs 1,490 crore in FY14.