The Centre's net direct tax collections registered 42.5 per cent increase in April 1-December 18 period to touch Rs 1,33,461 crore.

While corporate taxes were up by 51.2 per cent at Rs 83,614 crore for the period under review, personal income tax (including fringe benefit tax) recorded an increase of 26.6 per cent at Rs 46,114 crore.

Securities transaction tax collections stood at Rs 3,381 crore, which represents a growth of 96.8 per cent. Banking cash transaction tax collections stood at Rs 352 crore. The corporate advance tax up to December 18 stood at Rs 59,393 crore, up 38.51 per cent over Rs 42,881 crore last year.

For the December 15 instalment, corporate advance tax stood at Rs 20,082 crore. This represents a 46.4 per cent increase over Rs 13,722 crore collected for December 15, 2005, instalment.

Advance personal income tax (by professionals, partners etc) has increased to Rs 13,513 crore in Apr-December 18 compared with Rs 10,698 crore during the same period of the previous year.