The revenue official said that estimated growth in excise and customs collection for the year 1999-2000 would be around 16.5 per cent against projected growth rate of 21 per cent. Last year, the growth in indirect tax collection from the region was below 10 per cent, Srivastava said.

For excise duties, the growth in collection till November 1999 was 13.29 per cent higher at Rs 2929.55 crore. The estimated growth in excise collection for the whole year has been pegged at 18 per cent, Srivastava said.

In customs revenue collection, the region had already shown a growth of 13.12 per cent over the previous year till November. Total customs collection was better than Mumbai and Chennai, the official said, adding that revenue realisation till November was Rs 2642.30 crore.

According to him, the estimated growth in customs collection for 1999-2000 would be 15 per cent. Talking about preventive performance in the zone, Srivastava said that there had been a decreasing trend in smuggling activities in the region and the big operators have shifted to other adjoining states like Bihar and up.

During the period April to November 1999, the value of seizures amounted to Rs 21.04 crore, lower than the previous year's figure of Rs 26.09 crore in the same period. The projection made for the whole year is Rs 39.70 crore, Srivastava said.