The CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs) approved the Income Tax Department’s PAN 2.0 Project to modernize the PAN management and issuing process. A PAN card is an essential legal identity document, especially for taxpayers.
The project focuses on the taxpayer’s needs, efficient services to PAN/TAN holders, and a unified portal through the adoption of the latest and enhanced technology. Indian citizens wondering about the PAN2.0 Project, features, and other details can find everything here.
PAN 2.0 Project
On 25 November 2024, the PAN 2.0 Project got approval from CCEA, chaired by PM Narendra Modi. The project addresses the issue of Permanent Account Numbers and focuses on the enhancement. The government has announced an outlay of ₹1435 crore to implement and execute the project.
The PAN 2.0 Project is an initiative to make the PAN/TAN application, update, and validation seamless and transparent for citizens. Under the Project, the PAN number will become a Common Business Identifier, meaning the PAN will be utilized as a common identifier in the specified government agencies’ digital system.
Such an e-governance project enhanced the taxpayer experience and digitalized the PAN/TAN allotment and re-engineering business process. The Project aimed to make all the PAN/TAN services in one unified portal from current services available at multiple platforms to ensure smooth operation and efficiency.
PAN 2.0 Project Features
The PAN 2.0 Project of the Income Tax Department redesigns the business process and simplifies taxpayer registration. The 2.0 Project comes with upgrades aligned with the Digital India Initiative and many other following features, making the project more appealing:
- Unified Portal: As we have mentioned PAN/TAN services are available at the e-Gov Portal, e-filing portal, and UTIITSL portal, with this initiative, the government will develop one portal for all the services to simplify the user’s access to the services.
- Eco-friendly: With the adoption of the latest technology, the project focuses on reducing the paperwork and promoting paperless processes related to PAN/ TAN.
- PAN Data Vault: The Department focuses on the protection of citizens’ personal information through stringent and enhanced security initiatives, such as PAN Data Vault.
- Faster and Simplified Services: The adoption of the latest technology will make the PAN/TAN services a lot faster and better than before which will save time and energy for users.
- Call Center: To ensure the user’s complaints and queries are heard, the project focuses on constructing a dedicated call center and helpdesk or grievance redressal system to ensure faster response.
- Free Upgradation: The current PAN holders can upgrade their PAN cards for free under the PAN 2.0 Project. In the current system, people have to pay ₹50 for a PAN application, and for delivery of a PAN card outside India, an additional ₹15.
Do you have to apply for a new PAN card under the PAN 2.0 Project?
The Information and Broadcasting Minister has confirmed the current holder does not need to modify or upgrade their current corporation or individual PAN card. Currently, around 78 crores people hold PAN cards, and over 73 lakh hold TAN, so there is no requirement to upgrade your card.
The current PAN card has already QR code enabled since 2017, so unless you have a PAN card without a QR code, you do not need to apply for a new PAN card.
However, people who wish to update or correct their PAN card details, such as mobile number, address, etc. can do it without paying any penny to the authority under the PAN 2.0 Project through the UTIITSL portal at https://www.pan.utiitsl.com/PAN_ONLINE/homeaddresschange or
NSDL at https://www.pan.utiitsl.com/PAN_ONLINE/homeaddresschange.
How to apply for a new PAN card?
The Income-tax Department has not launched the unified portal under the PAN 2.0 Project yet, so if you find out your PAN card does not have a QR code you can apply for the new card via the PAN 1.0 system or through PAN 2.0 to be released.
In the unified portal, all the services related to PAN/TAN allotment, application, Aadhar PAN link, etc. will be available in one place in a more efficient manner which will avoid delays in PAN/ TAAN services.
However, if you wish, you can apply through the current method either through the NSDL portal or the UTIITSL portal. You can also visit the nearest PAN office and apply for a new PAN card with a payment of ₹91 for an Indian address and ₹862 for a foreign communication address.
The PAN 2.0 Project is an effort to make PAN/ TAN services efficient and make the taxpayer registration process seamless by redesigning the whole process. The Project got the approval and soon the officials will launch the unified portal for all PAN/TAN services.
