The North West Region of the Income Tax Department comprising Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Perdesh, Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh has registered 13.7 growth in collection of direct taxes till 16 November, 2009 as compared to the corresponding period last year.

The total net collection according to the sources in the department is Rs 5,989 crore up to November 16 and was Rs 5,265.1 crore up to 16 November 2008.

The region has surpassed the growth of All-India average that scaled up from 2 per cent to 2.3 per cent in the said period.

Chief Commissioner Income Tax, North West Region P K Chopra is optimistic about further revision in the figure as economic activities have started picking up.

We clocked in 12.5 per cent growth in October 2009 and it stands at 13.7 per cent in mid-November. It should touch 20 per cent if the things improve consistently, he said.

The regions annual growth of revenue last financial year was 20 per cent as compared to national average of 8 per cent.