PAN 2.0 Project Likely To Roll Out In 18 Months; Are Existing PAN Holders Required To Reapply For New Card? EXPLAINED

Modi government's ambitious PAN 2.0 project will be rolled out in the next 18 months in all likelyhoood, as per media reports. Several media reports have also quoted that PAN 2.0 project contract valued at Rs 792 crore, has been awarded to LTI Mindtree Ltd.

PAN 2.0 Project is an e-Governance project of the Income Tax Department for re-engineering the business processes of taxpayer registration services. Under this project, ITD is consolidating all processes related to PAN allotment/updation and corrections. The TAN-related services are also merged with this project. Besides, PAN authentication/validation through online PAN validation service will be provided to user agencies such as financial institutions, banks, government agencies, central and state government departments etc.

i. Integration of Platforms: Presently, the PAN-related services are hosted on three different portals (e-Filing Portal, UTIITSL Portal, and Protean e-Gov 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 allotment, updation, correction, Online PAN Validation (OPV), Know your AO, Aadhaar-PAN linking, verify your PAN, request for e-PAN, request for re-print of PAN card etc.

ii. Comprehensive use of technology for paperless processes: Complete online paperless process as against prevailing mode

iii. Taxpayer facilitation: Allotment/updation/correction of PAN will be done free of cost and e-PAN will be sent to the registered mail id. For a physical PAN card, the applicant has to make a request along with the prescribed fee of Rs 50 (domestic). For delivery of the card outside India, Rs 15 plus India post charges at actuals will be charged to the applicant.

No. The existing PAN card holders are not required to apply for a new PAN under the upgraded system (PAN 2.0).

Yes. 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 by visiting the below URLs:

i. https://www.onlineservices.nsdl.com/paam/endUserAddressUpdate.html

ii. https://www.pan.utiitsl.com/PAN_ONLINE/homeaddresschange

In any other cases of updation/correction of PAN details, the holders can do so using the existing process either by visiting physical centres or applying online on a payment basis.

No. The PAN card will not be changed unless the PAN holders want any updation/correction. The existing valid PAN cards will continue to be valid under PAN 2.0.

No new PAN card will be delivered unless the PAN holder requests it owing to any updation/correction in their existing PAN. The PAN holders who want to update their old address, can do so free of cost using Aadhaar based online facility.

As per the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961, no person can hold more than one PAN. In case a person holds more than one PAN, he/she is obliged to bring it to the notice of the Jurisdictional Assessing officer and get the additional PAN deleted/deactivated.

In the PAN 2.0, with the improved systems logic for identification of potential duplicate requests for PAN and centralised and enhanced mechanism for resolving the duplicates would minimise the instances of one person holding more than one PAN.