Excise collections from northern India, comprising Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, have declined by 47 per cent, while the customs duty collections dipped by 13.16 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal.

The total collections of central excise in the northern India fell to Rs 74.52 crore as on June 30 from Rs 140.04 crore in the corresponding period of last fiscal.

"The excise mobilisations are hit due to reduction in excise duty rates announced by the Centre," an official of the Central Excise Department said.

In addition to it, regular power shutdown, along with the impact of the global economic slowdown, was also the reason behind the fall in excise collections, he said.

Significantly, the excise collections in 2008-09 moved down by 40 per cent to Rs 614.28 crore as on March 31, 2009, compared with Rs 1,528.96 crore in the previous year.

Custom collections also dipped to Rs 152.53 crore as on June 30, 2009, from Rs 175.65 crore in the previous fiscal, down by 13.16 per cent, the official said.

The department mainly collects excise from several sectors such as steel, chemicals, cement and tractors.

However, collections from service tax grew to Rs 156.31 crore in the first quarter from Rs 142.80 crore, up 9.46 per cent.