The Ministry of Finance today said the PAN 2.0 Project will “streamline and modernise” the process of issuing and managing PAN and TAN. The project, which aims at the tech-enabled upgrade of a PAN registration and services process, will be rolled out in 2025. No particular date was specified. The ministry says PAN will be used as a common business identifier for all the digital systems of specified government agencies.
“This project aims to streamline and modernise the process of issuing and managing PAN and TAN, making it more user-friendly and efficient. With an existing PAN database of 78 crore PANs and 73.28 lakh TANs, the project addresses the requirements of taxpayers, focusing on consolidation of multiple platforms/portals and efficient services to PAN/TAN holders,” said the ministry in a release.
“Currently, PAN-related services are spread across three different platforms: the e-filing portal, UTIITSL portal, and protean e-Gov Portal. With the implementation of PAN 2.0, all these services will be integrated into a single, unified portal. This one-stop platform will handle comprehensive issues/matters related to PAN and TAN, including application, updates, corrections, Aadhaar-PAN linking, re-issuance requests, and even online PAN validation. By doing so, the income tax department endeavours to simplify processes, eliminate delays, and improve grievance redressal mechanisms,” the ministry said.
“The PAN 2.0 Project is also a significant step toward aligning with the digital India initiative. It focuses on eco-friendly, paperless processes while establishing PAN as a common identifier for all digital systems of specified government agencies,” the ministry added.
The ministry also issued a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on PAN 2.0 and described it as “an e-Governance project of the income tax department for re-engineering the business processes of taxpayer registration services. The objective of the project is to enhance the quality of PAN services through the adoption of the latest technology.”
Unified portal
“In the PAN 2.0 Project, all PAN/TAN-related services will be hosted on a single unified portal of ITD. The said Portal would host all end-to-end services related to PAN and TAN like an allotment, updation, correction, online PAN Validation (OPV), Knowing your AO, Aadhar-PAN linking, verifying your PAN, request for e-PAN, request for re-print of PAN card, etc,” the FAQs issued by the ministry stated.
Corrections
The FAQs clarified that existing PAN card holders are not required to apply for new PANs under the upgraded system unless a correction is needed. “If existing PAN holders want to make any correction/updation of their existing PAN details such as email, mobile or address or demographic details such as name, date of birth etc., they can do so free of cost after the PAN 2.0 Project commences. Till the time the PAN 2.0 project is rolled out, the PAN holders can avail of the Aadhaar-based online facility for updation/correction of email, mobile and address free of cost."
Existing cards to continue
The ministry says no new PAN card will be delivered unless the PAN holder requests for it owing to any updation or correction in their existing PAN. “The PAN holders who want to update old address can do so free of cost using the Aadhaar-based online facility."
