The direct tax collection of Pune region for 2009-10 has registered a growth of 14.7 per cent over last years figures, helping the region pip Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad regions, said the Pune region of the income tax department.

Rs 14,800 crore were collected this year as against Rs 12,900 crore raised last year by the Pune region which consists of entire state excluding Mumbai and Vidarbha. The Pune region has thus exceeded the national average of direct tax collections (10.5 per cent).

Among other achievements, the net tax collections for the year also exceeded the annual revenue collection target of Rs 14,640 crore set for the region for 2009-10. The growth is a result of the resilience and dynamism of the Pune Regions economy, adherence to tax compliance and increased faith of taxpayers in tax administration, according to Manjari Kacker, chief commissioner of Income-tax, Pune.

The Refund Banker Scheme, operational in Pune region since October 10 last year, has increased efficiency of the refund delivery system, provided better service to taxpayers and has reduced refund related grievances. During the year, refunds amounting to Rs 1,373 crore were issued up by Rs 419 crore (around 44% increase) over the last year. Around 27.73 lakh returns claiming refunds were processed during the year as compared to 26.67 lakh returns processed last year.

The corporate tax collections during the year registered an increase of about 27 per cent as compared to 11 per cent last year. The personal (non-corporate) tax also went up at about 5 per cent, compared to negative growth last year. The TDS collections of Rs 6,603 crore is up by about 13 per cent over last year.

The Aayakar Seva Kendra (ASK) or taxpayer facilitation centre, was opened at the Income Tax Office at Akurdi in May last year as a one-stop computerised window (front office) for efficient and hassle-free taxpayer services under the Sevottam Scheme of the Union goverment.