New PAN Project: The Finance Ministry has issued answers to 11 questions (FAQs) arising in the minds of taxpayers regarding the PAN 2.0 project so that their dilemma can be removed.
PAN 2.0 Project: Taxpayers will be issued PAN cards with QR codes in the coming days. The PAN 2.0 project has been approved in the cabinet meeting held on Monday 25 November 2024 under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But many questions are arising in the minds of taxpayers regarding PAN. Those who already have a PAN card, will they have to get a new PAN card? Will any change be possible in the new PAN or not? The Finance Ministry has answered 11 questions (Frequently Asked Questions) arising in the minds of taxpayers regarding the PAN 2.0 project.
Question – 1 – What is the PAN 2.0 project?
Answer- PAN 2.0 project is an e-governance project of the Income Tax Department to bring about a new change in the business process of taxpayers registration services. Its aim is to improve the quality of PAN services through the latest technology. Through this project, the Income Tax Department will consolidate the process of PAN allotment, update and correction. TAN Services have also been merged with this project. Through online PAN validation services, financial institutions, banks, government agencies, central and state government departments will be provided the facility of PAN authentication validation.
Question -2 – Is PAN 2.0 different from the existing setup?
Answer – Integration of Platforms – At present, PAN related services are hosted on three different portals (e-filing portal, UTITSL portal, Protan e-Gov portal) and PAN / TAN services will now be hosted on a unified portal of the Income Tax Department. Services like PAN and TAN allotment, update, correction, online PAN validation, know your assessment officer, Aadhaar-PAN linking, PAN verification, request for e-PAN and reprint of PAN card will be available on the new portal. And this entire process will be paperless through technology.
Taxpayers Facilitation – Allotment, update, or correction of PAN will be done completely free of cost. E-PAN will be sent to the registered email ID. Applicants will have to deposit Rs 50 (domestic) while requesting for a physical PAN card. Apart from Rs 15 for delivery of the card outside India, applicants will have to deposit the charge levied by India Post.
Question – 3 – Will existing PAN card holders have to apply for a new PAN under the
upgraded system? And will the PAN number have to be changed?
Answer – Existing PAN card holders do not need to apply for a new PAN under the PAN 2.0 project.
Question – 4. Will it be possible to make corrections like change in name, spelling, address in PAN?
Answer – If PAN holders want to change email, mobile number, address or name and date of birth in their existing PAN, then these corrections or updates can be done. And no charge will have to be paid for this. Until the PAN 2.0 project is rolled out, PAN holders can change their email, mobile, address through Aadhaar based online services. These services are available for free on these URLs.
https://www.onlineservices.nsdl.com/paam/endUserAddressUpdate.html
https://www.pan.utiitsl.com/PAN_ONLINE/homeaddresschange
In any other case of update or correction in PAN details, PAN holders can do so using the existing process either by visiting physical centers or by applying online on payment basis.
Q-5 – Do I need to change my PAN card under PAN 2.0?
Answer – No, PAN cards will not be changed unless the PAN holder wants any updation or correction. Existing valid PAN cards will continue to be valid under PAN 2.0.
Q-6 – Many people have not changed their address and their old address is intact. How will the new PAN card be delivered? And by when will the new PAN card be delivered?
Answer – No new PAN card will be delivered unless the PAN holders request for any update/correction in their existing PAN. PAN holders who want to update their old address can do so free of cost using the Aadhaar based online facility by visiting the URL given below. The new address will be updated in the PAN database.
https://www.pan.utiitsl.com/PAN_ONLINE/homeaddresschange
https://www.onlineservices.nsdl.com/paam/endUserAddressUpdate.html
Question 7 – If new PAN cards are QR code enabled, will the old ones continue to work as they are? How will QR code help us?
Answer – QR code is not a new feature, and it has been incorporated in PAN cards since 2017-18. In the PAN 2.0 project, dynamic QR code will display the latest data in the PAN database. PAN holders with old PAN cards without QR code have the option to apply for a new card with QR code in the existing PAN 1.0 eco-system as well as in PAN 2.0. QR code helps in validation of PAN and PAN details. Currently, a specific QR reader application is available for validation of QR code details. On reading the reader application, full details i.e. photo, signature, name, father’s name / mother’s name and date of birth gets displayed.
Question – 8 – What is Common Business Identifier in Business Related Activity?
Answer – In the Union Budget 2023, it was announced that for business establishments which are required to have PAN, PAN will be used as an identifier for all digital systems of the directed government agencies.
Question – 9 – Will the Common Business Identifier replace the existing Unique Taxpayer Identification Number such as PAN?
Answer – No. PAN will be used as the Common Business Identifier.
Question – 10 – What is the meaning of Unified Portal?
Answer – Currently, PAN related services are hosted on three different portals. In the PAN 2.0 project, all PAN / TAN related services will be hosted on a single unified portal of the Income Tax Department. All end-to-end services related to PAN and TAN will be available on this portal, including allotment, updation, correction, online PAN verification (OPV), know your AO, Aadhaar-PAN linking, verify your PAN, request for e-PAN, request for reprint of PAN card, which will further simplify the processes and avoid delays in delivery of PAN services, delays in redressal of grievances due to different modes of receiving applications (online eKYC / online paper mode / offline).
Question -11 – If a person has more than one PAN, how will they be identified and how will the extra PAN be deleted?
Answer – As per the provisions of the Income Tax Act 1961, no person can hold more than one PAN. If a person holds more than one PAN, he has to bring it to the notice of the Assessing Officer of his area and get the extra PAN deleted or deactivated. In PAN 2.0, the possibility of an individual holding more than one PAN will be reduced by improving systems for identifying potential duplicate requests for PAN and a centralised and improved mechanism for resolving duplicates.
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