Mumbai: Direct tax collections in the country appear to be showing some signs of a slowdown with overall kitty growing 25.51 per cent at Rs62,788 crore in September 2008, compared to a growth rate of 38.08 per cent year ago.

Net direct tax collections in the country rose 32.54 per cent to Rs1,47,197 crore during the first half of the current fiscal from Rs1,11,055 crore in the same period last year, a finance ministry release said.

Corporate tax collections grew 35.65 per cent  to Rs95,283 crore in April-September 208-09 as against Rs70,240 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal while personal income tax (including FBT, STT and BCTT) grew at 26.94 per cent  to Rs51,701 crore as against Rs40,729 crore.

Fringe benefit tax (FBT) grew 62.23 per cent (Rs3,580 crore against Rs2,207 crore); securities transaction tax (STT) was 2.72 per cent (Rs3,182 crore against Rs3,098 crore); and banking cash transaction tax (BCTT) was 17.65 per cent (Rs320 crore against Rs272 crore).

Corporate tax deducted at source (TDS) remained above 52 per cent; and personal income tax deducted at source grew at 28 per cent despite substantial tax relief allowed to individual taxpayers in the union budget 2008.

Corporate TDS collections stood at Rs30,810 crore as on 30 September 2008 against Rs20,210 crore during the corresponding period last year.

Personal income TDS stood at Rs33,276 crore as against Rs26,002 crore in the same period.

Self-assessment tax paid by both corporate and non-corporate taxpayers, voluntarily before filing their tax returns, registered substantial growth at 111 per cent and 71 per cent, respectively.

''Continued high growth in TDS and FBT collections indicates inherent strength of the Indian economy and continued improvement in tax administration. Higher growth in self-assessment tax indicates continued improvement in tax compliance levels,'' the finance ministry release pointed out.