New Delhi, March 19 (Punjab khabarnama):The net direct tax collection grew 19.88 per cent to over Rs 18.90 lakh crore till March 17, the Income Tax Department said on Tuesday.The net direct tax collection of Rs 18,90,259 crore (as of March 17) includes Corporation Tax (CIT) at Rs 9,14,469 crore (net of refund) and Personal Income Tax (PIT), including Securities Transaction Tax (STT) at Rs 9,72,224 crore (net of refund).Refunds amounting to about Rs 3.37 lakh crore have also been issued in the current fiscal till March 17. On a gross basis, before adjusting refunds, the direct tax collection stood at Rs 22.27 lakh crore, an 18.74 per cent growth over the year-ago period.The government had in the revised estimates for direct tax collection pegged the receipts for the full fiscal (April-March) at Rs 19.45 lakh crore.