Centre Approves PAN 2.0 With QR Code; Will You Have To Apply For New Card?

New Delhi: PAN cards will now feature QR codes, enabling technology-driven transformation of taxpayer registration services, while aligning with the government’s vision of a Digital Bharat, as announced in the Union Budget.

The objective is to create a fully paperless and online system in the country with focus on efficient grievance redressal, and better cybersecurity. It will also enable quick access and easy verification.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the PAN 2.0 project along with a proposal of the Income Tax department to make it “the common identifier for businesses” on Monday.

“The existing system will be upgraded and the digital backbone will be brought in a new way… We will try to make it a common business identifier. There will be a unified portal, it will be completely paperless and online. The emphasis will be on the grievance redressal system,” Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said during a Cabinet briefing.

He further added the grievance redressal system is being updated and PAN data Vault System is being set-up for protection of data. “With a unified portal, there will be no need to go to other portals,” he added.

The government has pledged Rs 1,435 crore for the PAN 2.0 project.

PAN 2.0

PAN 2.0 will be an upgrade of the current PAN system, using technology to make registration easier and more accessible for taxpayers. It will make PAN eligible as a common identifier for all digital systems of specified government agencies.

Benefits

The PAN 2.0 Project offers significant benefits including:

i. Ease of access and speedy service delivery with improved quality

ii. Single source of truth and data consistency

iii. Eco-friendly processes and cost optimization

iv. Security and optimization of infrastructure for greater agility