New Delhi, Dec. 20 -- Gross direct tax collections in nearly nine months of the current financial year (up to December 17) have seen a 4.16% annualized growth to a little over Rs.20 lakh crore, driven by higher corporate tax revenues, according to government data released on Friday. Collections appear to have picked up since the past month as numbers released in November recorded a modest 2.15% increase in the revenue to Rs.15.35 lakh crore (up to November 10). The Union budget has estimated Rs.25.20 lakh crore of direct tax collections in the current financial year, a 12.65% growth over revised estimates (RE) of 2024-25, comprising Rs.10.82 lakh crore corporate tax (CT) and Rs.14.38 lakh crore non-corporate tax (NCT) collections. Net direc...