The governments corporate tax collections grew a strong 21.7% in the first quarter of the current fiscal, confirming that economic recovery was beginning to translate into better profits for companies.

The Sensex was up 1% on the expectation of improved corporate performance.

Overall direct tax collections were up 15% to Rs 68,675 crore in the April-June quarter, data released by the finance ministry on Tuesday showed. Indias manufacturing had grown a strong 19.4% in April, suggesting a strong industrial recovery.

Corporate tax collections for the quarter added up to Rs 43,439 crore while personal income tax grew marginally by 1.24% to Rs 24,075 crore.

However, part of the buoyancy in direct tax collections was due to the base effect. Hit by the slowdown , corporate tax collections had grown only 3.3% in the first quarter of last fiscal while personal income tax had grown 4.4%.

The government has budgeted an overall tax mop-up of Rs 7.46 lakh crore during this fiscal, out of which Rs 4.3 lakh is to be realised from direct taxes, an increase of 13% over the amount realised last year.

The robust tax collection will help the government prune its fiscal deficit even more. It is already sitting on a Rs 65,000 crore excess windfall from 3G and broadband auction.

The fiscal deficit for current year is pegged at 5.5% of GDP. Better then budgeted realisation will help reduce government borrowing, leaving more funds for the private borrowers.

However, the realisation from the securities transaction tax (STT) declined to Rs 1,094 crore, from Rs 1,462 crore in the first quarter of previous fiscal reflecting possibly lower volumes because of the volatility in the stock market.

Advance tax collection in the first quarter was up by 31.4% to Rs 26,876 crore as against Rs 20,456 crore in the same period last fiscal.