The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has asked the Surat Income Tax authorities to speed up the collection of pending tax payments above Rs 1 crore from the corporate houses, real estate developers, diamond and textile industrialists and other industrialists in and around the city.

CBDT's principal director general (administration), Pomela Bali Prasad had visited the Surat Income Tax headquarters at Majura Gate and conducted a series of meetings with senior I-T officers including the Chief Income Tax commissioner.

Official sources said that the CBDT has strictly asked the I-T officials to take up the old pending cases for the recovery of outstanding tax amounting to crores of rupees from the corporate houses, diamond and textile companies, real estate developers and other industrialists in the diamond city.

In the financial year 2013-14, the Surat Income tax department has collected Rs 3,800 crore against the annual tax collection target of Rs 4,000 crore. This year, the target for the year 2014-15 is likely to increase by Rs 4,500 crore.