The country's direct tax collection has increased almost 24 percent in the first quarter of the current fiscal year and stood at Rs.104,136 crore as compared to Rs.84,041 crore in the like period of last fiscal, official data showed on Thursday.

According to the figures released by the finance ministry, the corporate tax collection also grew at a brisk 23.49 percent and stood at Rs.68,223 crore as against Rs.55,244 crore in the same period last year.

"Gross collection of personal income tax was up by 24.63 percent which rose to Rs.35,859 crore as against Rs.28,772 crore during the same period last year," said the ministry statement.

However, the net tax collections were down 16.61 percent at Rs.57,268 crore, from Rs.68,675 crore in the same period in last fiscal, due to an exponential increase in tax refunds.

"This was on account of an increase of 205.01 percent in tax refunds, which stood at Rs.46,868 crore as against Rs.15,366 crore in the same period during the last fiscal," the statement added. (PTI)