Indirect tax collections increased by 8.82 per cent to Rs 75,655 crore (Rs 756.55 billion) during the first seven months of this fiscal from Rs 69,521 crore (Rs 695.21 billion) in April-October 2002.
The collection is Rs 3,142 crore (Rs 31.42 billion) or 3.99 per cent short of the budgeted estimate of Rs 78,798 crore (Rs 787.98 billion) till October.
Both excise and customs collection inched up by by 8.8 per cent during the period, a senior finance ministry official told PTI in New Delhi.
Excise mop up surged by 8.82 per cent to Rs 47,679 crore (Rs 476.79 billion) during the first seven months from Rs 43,814 crore (Rs 438.14 billion) in April-October 2002.
In October alone, the excise collection picked up by 12.13 per cent to Rs 7,476 crore (Rs 74.76 billion) this fiscal from Rs 6,667 crore (Rs 66.67 billion) a year ago.
The government targets to raise Rs 91,141 crore (Rs 911.41 billion) in the entire fiscal from excise duties.
Customs collections surged by 8.83 per cent to Rs 27,977 crore (Rs 279.77 billion) during the first seven months from Rs 25,707 crore (Rs 257.07 billion) in April-October 2002.
The collection was at Rs 4,947 crore (Rs 49.47 billion) in October, which was 13.39 per cent higher than Rs 4,363 crore (Rs 43.63 billion) a year ago.
The government has estimated to collect Rs 45,193 crore (Rs 451.93 billion) in customs during the entire fiscal.
The indirect tax collection target is budgeted at Rs 1,36,334 crore (Rs 1,363.34 billion) for 2003-04.