The Central government’s indirect tax collections grew 3.9 per cent in April-July this year to ₹1,54,350 crore (₹1,48,588 crore).
While both customs and excise duty collections declined albeit marginally, service tax collections saw a robust 16.4 per cent increase for the period under review.
For the month of July, all three heads of indirect taxes – excise, customs and service tax saw an increase at a single digit level.
Till end July this fiscal, the Centre has achieved 24.8 per cent of the total budget estimate for indirect tax collections this fiscal.
The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had already said that indirect tax collections target for the current fiscal was a major challenge for the revenue department, but had also emphasised that the target was achievable.