The service tax amnesty scheme has yielded around . 7,700 crore to the exchequer, a finance ministry official said. The Voluntary Compliance Encouragement Scheme, which was launched on May 10, 2013 to enable service tax defaulters to pay dues without penalty or late payment charges, closed on December 31. “The government has received tax worth around . 7,700 crore,“the official told PTI. Bulk of the declarations, according to the official, were made by assessees engaged in construction and works contracts, followed by transportation and supply of manpower. An addition . 7,700 crore to the kitty will provide some relief to the government which aims to collect . 1.80 lakh crore in service tax in the current fiscal. The FM had met industry bodies to encourage assessees to take advantage of the tax amnesty scheme.