New Delhi, Jan 5 (Inditop.com) Net direct tax collections in the first three quarters this fiscal stood at Rs.250,232 crore, up 8.51 percent from Rs.230,598 crore collected in the corresponding period last year, the government said Tuesday.

Corporate tax collection grew 13.47 percent to Rs.166,503 crore in April-December 2009 from Rs.146,737 crore in the year-ago period, though personal income-tax collection fell 0.41 percent to Rs.83,178 crore from Rs.83,524 crore.

The fall in personal income-tax collection was largely on account of higher refunds — Rs.8,954 crore as against Rs.5,979 crore, a growth of 49.76 percent compared to the pay-off in the like period last fiscal.

Net direct tax collections last December stood at Rs.66,410 crore, compared to Rs.53,347 crore collected in December 2008.

Securities transaction tax collections rose 2.33 percent during April-December 2009 to Rs.4,570 crore as against Rs.4,466 crore in the year-ago period, while wealth tax collection grew 24.39 percent to Rs.381 crore.